Mysterious Stranger
by LittleMissMidnight
Summary: One friend, One stranger, yet both share the same memories, met in a unpredictible way. How will this effect the two? Can they restore what was once theirs?  Advanceshipping, Contestshipping and Pearlshipping
1. Part 1

**OMG, i'm alive? yes i am. sorry for not begin online often. school is begin a pain and plus begin a fanartist and a fanfiction writer is a busy life, so im writing my fics at school until my life gets a little less busy.**

**And yeah, new fic. hopefully it will only be plain advanceshipping but i might add a few more shippings along the way. ^^**

**And yeah, 7 pages for the first chapter. im happy with that. anyway i hope you like this new fic and HOPEFULLY i will finish this and won't have to remake this, but the way this si going i don't think i need to. rofl**

**Enjoy.**

**~midnight**

* * *

**Mysterious Stranger**

_"...after that, there was silence."_

**Chapter one**

Here we go again.

"And the winner is…"

That feeling of tension and the fear of that your name won't be called out.

"…by just a few points…"

Sometimes you just wish they would hurry up and call out the name already.

"…is May Maple from Petelburg city!"

Finally they called out my name; finally I can relax and breathe again. I walked up onto the stage as the judge handed me my fifth and final ribbon. It had a diamond shaped golden center piece with two strands of red silk ribbon stuck on the bottom of the golden center piece. It shined with hope and glory that I could even see my reflection on it. I smiled and saw my reflection in it and turned towards the crowd and held up the last ribbon I need to enter the Johto grand festival. The crowd clapped and cheered, some wolf whistled and other stood up and clapped.

It's been awhile since I felt so good of winning a ribbon.

Soon I left the stage and headed to my room. There I dressed into my normal clothes. I wrapped my green around my brunette hair and I zipped up my orange vest on. I slipped on my black shorts and tied my shoes on. I slipped my bag onto my hips and headed out of my way. I twisted the doorknob and pulled the door and let myself out of the room. As I closed the door I heard footsteps coming towards me. I closed the door and turned around and found out that it was only Harley, Drew and Soledad coming to greet me.

"Congratulations on the win May." Soledad praised.

"That was a great battle dear" Harley said in his most girly voice ever.

"You could of lost you know if the guy you were fighting didn't went easy on you." Drew replied as he flicked his fringe.

"He went on easy on me?" I asked. "I think that's just another way of you saying that I was good and getting better." I teased.

"Well let's see when we all get to the Johto grand festival." Drew replied as he folded his arms.

"Anyway do you know how that guy that May versed?" Soledad asked the three of us.

"No. the announcer never told the name of the coordinator." Harley replied. "Anyway likes its matter." Harley added and soon continued. "What matters is, me winning the Johto grand festival." Harley laughed.

"Hmph." Drew replied as he flicked his hair once more. "Not while I'm here, you won't."

"Now, now." Soledad replied as she interrupted Harley's and Drew conversation of winning the grand festival. "Let's just have something to eat shall we?" Soledad added as she soon turned towards my direction. "Would you like to come with us May?"

"I'll come with you guys later. I have something else to do." I replied.

"Very well." Soledad nodded and soon the three of them left and I walked the opposite direction from them.

_*~*~*~*~*_

As I walked out of the contest complex the rain was pouring down on me. The rain drop crashing on the umbrella as I held it over my head and the splashes of water my feet did each time I step in puddles of water as I headed my way to my destination. The sky was grey and dull as cars drove past me, nearly wetting me just because of that. Wild Pokémon trying to find a dry place for the night as others danced in the open space as raindrops fell onto of them.

Soon I reached a building with a red roof with white walls covering it with a huge letter P on top of the roof, known as the poke center. I walked towards the building as the sliding doors opened as I entered. As I entered I saw Nurse Joy on the counter checking her list of Pokémon that needed her care.

"Hello Nurse Joy." I greeted as I walked over to her.

"Well hello there May." Nurse joy smiled. "How was the contest today?" She asked.

"Well I finally won my fifth ribbon." I smiled. "I can finally train for the Johto grand festival."

"That is great to hear May." Nurse Joy replied.

"Anyway." I said as I reached into my bag and grabbed out six poke balls. "Can you look after my Pokémon for the night?" I asked.

"Of course." Nurse Joy smiled again. "That's why I'm here for."

_*~*~*~*~*_

Soon night came and covered the sky and a blanket of stars covered and sky. I stared at the countless stars in the sky and sighed.

"Making me look at the sky like this reminds me of the days when I travelled with my friends." I sighed once more and walked out of the balcony and closed the glass doors behind me and rolled and pink silk curtains and sat myself onto the bed and wrapped my arms around my knees and buried my head behind them.

"I miss travelling with them. It was always so exciting. Everywhere we went." I told myself as I raised my head and turned to the side table near the bed. There sat my green bag. It was unzipped because I opened it to give me Pokémon to Nurse Joy. I got up and walked to it and I was about to zip it up when I say a photo just popping up on the side. I put my hand in and grabbed it and I was surprise to have a something like this in my bag.

It was a photo of Ash and I when I visited him in Sinnoh for the Wallace Cup.

This photo was two years old.

I flipped the photo and saw somebody's handwriting written and the back in black pen. Soon I realized it was Ash's.

_"Together with my best friend, May."_

Those words somehow felt comforting even though the words were written over two years ago. I placed the photo back into my green bag and crawled myself back into bed and slowly closed my eyes. Thinking of the words Ash wrote behind that photo.

"Together, with my best friend…Ash..." I mumbled before drifting to sleep.

_*~*~*~*~*_

_"Okay" Dawn replied as she got the camera ready."Everyone is position?"_

_"Yeah, all ready!" Ash called as he waved his hands to tell that Ash and I were ready. Ash had his arm over my shoulder with my over his with both of use doing a peace sign with your fingers._

_"Okay ready." Dawn replied as she started the countdown._

_"Hey May." Ash whispered._

_"What is it?" I asked as I trying to stay still._

_"…3…" Dawn began._

_"I'm really glad you came over here to Sinnoh." Ash replied._

_"…2.." Dawn continued._

_"Me too Ash." I replied still trying to wish Dawn would take the photo already._

_"I will never forget this May."_

_"Me either." I replied._

_"…1…"_

_"And I will never forget a friend like you May. Never." Ash added._

_"Same goes here, Ash."_

_"Cheese!" Dawn replied as the pressed the button on the camera and a flash from the camera came and took the photo of Ash and I together._

_And soon the photo came out from the bottom of the camera. Ash and I walked to Dawn and Brock to see the photo. The photo was Ash and I still in the same position as we started with the port behind us with the sun setting behind the hills of Sinnoh as the relaxing orange and pink colours of the sky spread across the sky._

_Ash grabbed the photo after I had held it and Ash got out a black pen and wrote something on the back._

_"Together with my best friend, May."_

_"Here you have this May and keep it okay?" Ash replied as he handed the photo back to me._

_"But there is only one copy." I replied. "Don't you want a copy as well?"_

_"Don't worry about that." Ash smiled. "I don't need one because I will never forget this moment with my best friend."_

_I didn't know what to reply after that. Instead all I could think was smile and I jus felt myself blush at the same time._

_*~*~*~*~*~*_

I woke up by the sun's rays peeking through the pink silk curtains. I stretched and yawn and took off the sheets on top of me and got dressed. As I was, I was thinking of the dream I had last night. It was more of a memory then a dream. That memory was when I visited Ash in Sinnoh for the Wallace Cup and we took a photo before I left back to Johto.

I walked over to my bag which was quietly sitting down on the side table. I unzipped the bag and grabbed the photo and flipped it and read what Ash wrote. I was about to put it back into my bag when I saw something else written on it.

"A friend that I will never forget."

I was surprised that after having something for that long that just then did I realize something new that I had never saw before. I returned the photo back into my bag and zipped it up and placed it back onto my waist and was about to head out until I heard a knock on my door.

I walked up to the door knowing it would probably be Drew or Harley, asking why I didn't turn up yesterday. I placed my hand on the doorknob and twisted it and pulled it towards my direction and was surprised to see who was at the door.

"Ash?" I asked in total shock. "What are you doing here?"

Ash didn't reply back and instead just blankly look into my eyes, like he never saw me before in his entire life. Soon after a few seconds of silence Ash soon replied back to me.

"Do…I know you miss?" Ash replied. "Because the only time I've seen you is when I versed you for the ribbon you won yesterday." Ash added.

"Do…I know you miss?" felt like glass had just been shattered and the sound echoing in my ears with the words just faintly playing in the background. My lips wouldn't respond, my body wouldn't move, my mind just didn't know what to do next.

And after that, there was silence.

**End of chapter one.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping, slight Pearlshipping and Contest.  
**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Chapter two**

I didn't know what to say right away. I wanted for somebody to pinch me to see this was real. Finally I meet Ash after two years and this is how we meet up again? by forgetting who I am? After awhile took in breathe and breathe out and replied.

"I'm so sorry about that." I smiled as I played along. Pretending I never met Ash in my life. "You look like a very close friend of mine." I added.

"Oh I see." Ash smiled. "I wanted to congratulate you on the win yesterday. You were great."

"Umm, thank you." I blushed as I looked away from Ash's face for awhile. _"Doesn't he remember me at all?"_ I asked myself. _"Out of all the people in the world that had to forget their memory it had to be Ash."_ Then I turned around to face Ash who had a worried look on his face.

"Are you okay Miss?" Ash asked.

"Please call me May." I sweat dropped. "Anyway I wanted to celebrate my victory and I want to know you better. Mind if we talk more about each other at lunch?" I asked.

"Yeah sure." Ash shifted his eyes. Thinking of how awkward of a person he uses to know asking him out for lunch. "Are you asking me out?" Ash added. "Because the way you're asking it sure sounds like it."

"WHAT?!" I replied in shock. Surprised at the same time Ash would ask something love-related. "No, of course not." I replied. "Just a simple lunch between rivals. Sounds okay with you."

"Okay that makes sense now." Ash laughed. "Okay meet you at the café here in the pokecenter. Fine by you?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. That's fine." I smiled.

Soon Ash made his way away from me. After the conversation we had I wasn't sure if I was glad to see him or not. I rested my back against the hallway wall covered in a pale yellow colour and felt my back slide down towards the cold tiles. I just stared down at the tiles at worked my way up to where Ash walked towards too. I heard footsteps coming towards behind me. I didn't bother to turn around until I felt a gentle hand placed on my shoulder.

"Are you okay May?" Drew asked as he was kneeing down with his hand on his shoulder and look up to where Ash just walked to. "Was that Ash I just saw earlier?" He asked.

I just nodded to Drew's question without even looking at him as I continued to gazed at the cold empty tiles I was sitting on.

"What was he doing here?" Drew asked once more. "I thought he would be at the Sinnoh Championships by now."

"His forgotten…everything." I replied as my voice turned into a whisper. "Harley, Soledad, me, you and him ever begin a Pokémon trainer." I added.

"His forgotten everything?!" Drew replied in shock. "But how?"

I shook my head in a response telling Drew that I didn't knew. I placed my hand on top of his. Even I disliked Drew around me; I needed somebody to comfort me and help me to what had just happened.

*~*~*~*~*

"Those his forgotten everything about us and him ever begin a Pokémon trainer?" Soledad asked in shock as she held her chopsticks in her hands.

"Yeah." I muttered as I played with my food by using my chopsticks to move them around with. "Now Ash has become a Pokémon coordinator and like I need another rival." I sighed.

"Ash as a coordinator?" Harley replied in his girly surprised tone of voice. "I thought I never see the day!"

"So your going to have a date with him to find out more?" Drew asked like he was jealous of some kind.

"It's not a date Drew." I replied. "I'm just having lunch with my former best friend to find out more and what happened in two years. The last time I saw him was back at the Wallace Cup." I sighed soon after. "I have no idea how this could happen to Ash."

"I don't know." Drew replied as he flicked his fringe."Sounds like a date to me."

"It's not a date." I repeated slightly annoyed. "It's just a simple lunch with a old friend." I replied as I stood up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Harley asked.

"To a friend." I replied as I continued my way.

*~*~*~*~*

I walked away from the others and walked to Nurse Joy to receive my Pokémon off her. Then I walked over to the video phone and pushed in the numbers to the Hoenn grand festival. I knew she was there from a recent letter she wrote to me on about how Hoenn was so different from Sinnoh and Johto. I waited as the dial tone began to ring. Soon I heard a voice on the other end of the phone.

"Hello?" The voice asked.

I didn't responded

"Hello, anyone there?" the voice asked again. this time I could tell it was Dawn's voice I was hearing.

"Hey Dawn." I finally greeted.

"Oh it's just you May." Dawn replied. "I thought it was just another of those prank callers I have been getting lately."

"Well I see then." I replied as I took in a breath and continued. "I want to ask about something."

"What is it May?" Dawn asked.

"What happened to Ash?"

*~*~*~*~*

_ (going three person view for this)_

_ The hospital was quite as the two friends sat quickly in the room as their friend was hanging to dear life. Sleeping peacefully like the accident had never happened. The young bluenette coordinator by the name of Dawn sat right beside her friend gripping on her hands hoping that everything was okay while another friend of hers, Brock laid his back against the white wall with his arms crossed, hoping to the same result as Dawn. _

_ The young pokemon trainer's old companion, Pikachu was sitting near the trainer's shoulder. Placing his paws on his trainer's shoulder, shaking it just slightly hoping he would wake up. The yellow mouse pokemon sighed as its ears slowing fell down. Showing how disappointed it was. The mouse pokemon walked to Dawn's arms and snuggled into the coordinator's arms and Dawn cuddled the pokemon back._

_"This should have never happened Pikachu." Dawn replied as her voice dropped into a whisper. "Why did Ash do something so foolish?" Dawn asked the Pikachu and looked at Brock. "Why?"_

_"This is Ash we are talking about." Brock replied. "He would do anything for his friends."_

_"I know that but…" Dawn replied as she looked at her friend. "…he knew it was dangerous."_

_ Soon Pikachu's ears sprang up and soon the pokemon leaped out of the girl's arms and to his trainer. Soon a smile grew on its lonely face as Ash's eyes started to flicker. Dawn and Brock quickly surrounded the young pokemon trainer. Smiles also grew on their faces quickly as Dawn wrapped her arms around the trainer as tears of joy escaped her eyelids and down her cheeks. The young pokemon trainer quickly blushed and soon Dawn stopped the embrace and wiped her tears away._

_"Ash!" Dawn smiled. "I'm so glad you're alive!"_

_"Dawn?" Ash asked. "What happened?"_

_ Dawn stood at a standstill. "You mean you don't remember?" Dawn asked in a surprised tone of voice._

_"No I don't." Ash sweat dropped as he looked as the side table and started at his bag, gym badges and a half pink and white ribbon lying quietly on the side table. "And I don't remember getting does stuff there." Ash pointed and the items on top of the side table._

_"You mean you don't remember any of that stuff over there." Dawn pointed at Ash's items._

_"No." Ash replied. "I really feel like into contests now Dawn." Ash added. "But I really don't remember that ribbon at all. Who gave that to me?"_

_ Dawn just stood up and glanced at Brock over her shoulder. She too couldn't believe that Ash wasn't into gym battles but into pokemon contests and that he had forgotten that the ribbon he didn't knew gave to him was a close friend of his, May. Dawn looked back at Ash who was looking back to her like a little child who didn't knew what was happening around him._

_"Do you know a pokemon coordinator by the name of May?" Dawn asked in a worried tone of voice._

_"Who?" Ash asked._

_ Dawn's eyes widen and slowly turned her back on Ash and walked towards the door and sighed and walked out in the most shocking disbelief she had heard in her life._

*~*~*~*~*

"So that what happen." I replied in a low voice.

"Yes May." Dawn replied. "I tried everything to bring the old Ash we both knew but he isn't him anymore. He is just into pokemon contests so I thought maybe sending him there to Johto might bring a few things back to him."

"Well, tell him to go to a different region." I replied. "Because if he can't remember me then might as well forget him as a close friend to me!" I replied as my voice rose slightly.

"May, we both know that you can't do that." Dawn replied, trying to calm me down. "Ash is a important person to you. Without him you might never be a great coordinator you are now."

"I want to forget that he was in my life Dawn." I replied. "I haven't seen him for two years until now I forgot about him. Why stop now?"

"Because you care for him." Dawn replied.

_"Because you care for him."_

Those words didn't leave my mind. Any friend would care for him but did I care more than a friend could? Did I love Ash more than a friend could possible do?

"We all care for him Dawn." I replied. "After all we are friend with him. Even he can't remember me at all."

"Then start over." Dawn replied. "Just like the first day you met."

"Maybe." I replied. "I could give that a try."

*~*~*~*

I sat down on the pokemon center café table which had a great view of the waterfall near the pokemon center as I saw Wingulls flying past chirping in they own language. I took a sip of my drink and looked at the entrance as I saw Ash coming toward me. I looked back at the view thinking how I should start a conversation like we were never best friends.

"Hi there." I smiled. "I'm glad you came."

"No problem." Ash smiled. "So you want to get to know me better?" Ash asked.

"Yes I do." I replied. "your such a skilled coordinator that I just had to get to know you better."

"I see." Ash replied. "Anyway my name is Ash Ketchum, I just started begin a coordinator two years ago."

"Well my name is May Maple." I began. "I have been a coordinator for awhile now." I added. "Anyway why did you knock on my door?" I asked as I took another sip from my drink.

"I just simple wanted to say great job on the win the other day remember?. I do that to all my rivals that I lose against." Ash smiled.

"Wow, you are so kind of doing that Ash." I smiled. "In fact I was wondering if you would want to stay here for awhile for my upcoming battles against Drew and Soledad."

"Why not?" Ash replied. "I might pick up a few tricks from you." Ash winked. "But after you win, I want a rematch."

"Deal." I replied in a taunt voice. "But don't expect I will go easy on you."

"You know, I should be the one saying that May." Ash laughed.

I didn't reply but instead I laughed with Ash. Even he couldn't remember me, I was just glad that I was able to laugh with my best friend Ash, once again.

**End of chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping, Contestshipping

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Chapter three**

The next day I woke up got dressed and did my natural thing I do every morning. As I was checking that I had everything for my battle I soon heard a knock on my door.

"Come in." I said as I wasn't looking at who entered but making sure I was all prepared for the battle.

"It's me." A voice called in which I soon realized that it was Soledad. "Have you heard the news?" She asked me.

"What news?" I replied as I zipped my bag and placed it on my waist.

"They moved the grand festival to the next city and they changed a few rules." Soledad answered.

"They did wha?" I replied in shock. "But why?"

"Well this contest hall was too small with a huge increase of people entering the grand festival this year so they moved it to the next town." Soledad replied.

"And how far is the next town from here?" I asked.

"Three days." Soledad replied. "and Harley and Drew are coming with us."

"And are we leaving now?" I asked once more.

Soledad just nodded. "Come down when you're ready. We will be waiting for you." Soledad added as she soon walked out of the room. I watched her walk out and then sat on the bed and sighed heavily and placed my hands in my lap.

"Can't believe they moved the grand festival to the next town." I sighed and lay on my back with my arms spread out on the bed. Soon my eyes caught something shiny under my pillow and stretch my arms to grab it. Soon I found it was the half ribbon I won in Terracotta town with Ash back in Kanto.

_"But I really don't remember that ribbon at all. Who gave that to me?"_

Those words stayed in my mind. I remember Dawn telling me how Ash forgotten about me and the accident the other night.

_"I know that but…" "…he knew it was dangerous."_

I quickly sat up with another statement Dawn told me over the phone the other night. She said those words to Brock before Ash woke up. I asked myself, _"Does this mean that Dawn knew about the accident that left Ash forgetting about me?" "If she knew it was dangerous couldn't she prevent it from happening?" _

Many more question popped into my mine that I stood up and held my hands on my head and just yelled trying to get them out of my head and then soon fell onto my knees. Soon I heard the door open and somebody put their hand on my shoulder.

"May?" Somebody called my name. I could tell it was a guy who was trying to contact me.

I looked up and saw it was Ash on one of his knees with a worried look on his face. I thought to myself on _"Why was he here? Since he lost his memory I have been nothing to a stranger and a rival."_

"What are you doing here?" I asked in a low voice.

"I heard somebody yell so I didn't think twice to go there and see if I could help and then I saw you holding your hands on your head like you want to forget something." Ash replied.

I couldn't think what else to reply after that. More questions entered my mind. I couldn't take it anymore and just closed my eyes and placed my head on Ash's torso and cried softly.

"Are you alright May?" Ash asked as he wrapped his arms around me. "Why are you crying?"

I couldn't reply a good answer even I did have one. Should I tell him? That he is my best friend and that he use to know me as well? That without you I might never become a coordinator?

Should I tell him that the ribbon he can't remember is us winning it back in Kanto?

Should I tell him that the other half is with me?

Should I?

Then I heard quick loud footsteps entering the room. It sounded like a group of people were coming into my room. I opened my eyes and found myself that my arms were around Ash's. I placed my head on top of his shoulder to see who came in. I saw it was Soledad and Drew that came in. I could tell on their faces why I was crying for but for some reason Drew had a weird look on his face. Like he didn't like me embracing Ash, I never saw a face like that from him before. I stopped hugging Ash and wiped my tears away.

"Sorry for making you guys worry about me." I slightly laughed as I was wiping the last of my tears away.

"It's alright." Soledad replied. "Just be glad Ash was here to help you in your time of need."

"Yeah..." Drew replied as he flicked his fringe and walked out of the room with an annoyed look on his face.

"Just don't act like that again okay May?" Ash smiled and then wiped a tear away from my cheeks.

For just that moment I thought I was facing the old Ash I knew and remembered, the one that not only cared for his Pokémon but his friends as well. I soon smiled and replied.

"I won't."

*~*~*~*~*

_"That's so unfair." I replied as I crossed my arms with a jealous look on my face. "You got to meet Wallace and I didn't and to mention you not even a coordinator." _

_"Well that's life May." Ash laughed. _

_"I'm just glad you're not a coordinator but a trainer." I replied and soon sighed. "Imagine if it was the other way around?" _

_"I really can't imagine myself as a coordinator May." Ash laughed once more. "If I was life would be very interesting."_

_"Well I don't see it very hard Ash." Dawn interrupted as she entered my conversation with Ash. "You did end up with a draw with May so seeing you as a coordinator could happen. You might never know what life can throw at you." _

_"Still I prefer battles over contests any day." Ash replied. "Right May?" _

"MAYY!!" A voice yelled that made me enter reality once more.

"Wahh!" I replied in surprise right after. I turned to my right and saw it was Ash.

"Looks like, somebody was day dreaming again." Drew replied as he was walking ahead of me.

I just softly growled at him.

"So excited for the trip May?" Soledad asked who was walking on my left side, right beside me.

"Yeah." I cheered. "Can't wait to hold that grand festival cup in my hands!"

"Keep dreaming honey." Harley laughed. "All you be holding is the guilt of losing to me." Harley laughed once more.

"You the one to talk." I replied. "After how many battles I bet you here in the Johto region." I added, acting like a pain for Harley to annoy him.

"That will all change when I win the grand festival dear." Harley added who was walking right beside Drew who had his Roserade following him. "I mean they changed the rules this year."

"They changed the rules?" I questioned. "What did they change?" I asked.

"That you need a partner for the grand festival and in the end you will verse you partner for the cup." Drew replied.

"And we get to wear fabulous clothes when we get there." Harley replied in a fan girly way.

"So who will I be partnered with then?" I asked myself as I put my finger on my chin and began to think.

"What about Ash?" Soledad requested.

I thought for awhile of Soledad proposal. I admired of how the three were acting like they never met Ash in their lives. For Drew and Harley it would be easy since they were never close to Ash, especially Drew. Soledad knew Ash a little more and I knew how awkward it is to talk to somebody that you know quite well but he doesn't know a single thing about you.

The world can be so mean at people at times.

"What about it May?" Ash asked. "I think it's a great idea." Ash smiled.

"Sure, why not?" I smiled.

I realized that if I want to be friends with Ash again and hopefully help him remember his memories I had to take this chance to do so. As a friend I had to. Dawn even send him over here with me so I can help Ash return to the normal dense Ash I knew and travelled with. All of my friends are counting on me.

"So that means I have to pair up with happy go lucky over here." Drew sighed.

"Don't worry gramps." Harley replied as he hit him in the back which I was guessing was suppose to be a pat in the back soon added. "I make sure we win." Harley smiled.

Drew placed his hand on his forehead as a sign of disbelief and replied with a simple sigh.

Like I said earlier, the world can be mean at people at times.

*~*~*~*~*

As the group was walking to the next town I looked up to the sky and saw that it was turning darker by the minute, the sky started the spread a relaxing orange and pink colour merged together as it was spread across the Johto sky. Soon the moon start to become visible to my eyes and the other soon realized that it was getting dark as well.

"I think we should camp here for the night." Soledad replied as she gazed into the night sky and then looked back on the group. "Harley you can make the tents, I will cook and Ash, Drew and May can go get some firewood. All good?"

I wanted to reply that sending me with Ash and Drew wasn't a good idea. I didn't know if this was a way so she could help Ash regain his memories about us or that she didn't plan to help Ash at all. As much I wanted to debate the idea in my head Ash, Drew and I made our way into the forest to gather firewood for the night.

As we entered the forest it felt like it got darker even more quickly due to not much light got into the forest. We got deeper into the forest and when we couldn't carry anymore wood and it was too dark to get anymore.

"Were lost." I muttered in fear. We are going to die here." I added. "Not to mention that we have been walking for age and my feet are soar."

And out of nowhere Ash grabbed a poke ball from his belt and threw it into the air and white light was released from it and landed on the ground forming into a shape of a huge Pokémon. When the light dimmed and soon faded I saw that Ash send out his Torterra. For what reason, I really didn't know.

"I thought if we all took a ride on Torterra out of here will be better than on foot." Ash smiled. "Because my feet are getting soar as well." Ash added as he climbed up onto Torterra's back.

I tried to climb onto Torterra's back but I slipped back down many times. Still I couldn't believe Ash had a Torterra or even a Turtwig. Soon Ash saw how hard I tried to climb and soon offered his hand to help me.

"Need help?" He asked.

I nodded and grabbed his hand as he dragged me up onto Torterra's back and soon I helped Drew up as well and the three of us rode on Torterra's back hopefully that we would find our way out. Soon we started to see light and we all thought it was the way out but instead it was just a huge lake with different kind of Pokémon surrounding it. There were water types swimming in the lake as others just came along to take a drink but what really caught our attention was the Illumine's and Volbeat's flying around the sky making up a beautiful sight.

As I watched a memory of mine reminded me of a similar sight. If was back in Hoenn where we helped a guy to get along and hopefully become his girlfriend, funny thing was that they had a Volbeat and an Illumise as their Pokémon. We tried many ways for the guy to ask the girl out. Once we even made Ash dress up as the girl he liked. It didn't end up very well. As I remembered that memory I soon giggled when Brock tried but ended up making Ash run away from him.

"What's so funny?" Drew asked.

"Just remembering a funny memory." I replied with still a smile on my face.

Soon I turned back onto the sight as saw Ash was staring at they Illumise's and Volbeat's. His look was like this was the first time he saw such a sight.

Even it wasn't.

"What's the matter Ash?" I asked as I tapped his shoulder.

"I don't know." Ash replied as he continued to look at the flying Pokémon. "I feel like I've seen this before somewhere, with somebody important to me." Ash replied. "But I never did this with Dawn though. These Pokémon where not common in Sinnoh."

I wanted to tell it was me that you saw that sight with and that you asked what was love and I simply replied that you will understand when you get older. That it was my idea to dress you as the girl to help the guy to get a date but instead you ended up running away from Brock because he started to have a crush on you dressing up as the girl.

So why can't I tell that you were never a coordinator but a trainer?

So why can't I?

I soon sighed and played along and toss my arms over his shoulder and placed my head on them.

"I'm sure you will remember whoever that person is and where you first saw this in time Ash." I smiled and soon unwrapped my arms around him. "But right now we still need to find a way out of here because I'm starting to get hungry."

"Okay then." Ash smiled. "Torterra lets head back to camp." Ash cheered.

"Tor!" Torterra replied as he moved quickly and made my land into Drew's arms. I couldn't help but to blush.

I wanted to stand up but Drew somehow wouldn't let me go. So I ended up lying in his arms until we reached back to camp. As we were making our way to camp I heard Drew mutter something or even whispered it to himself.

"Just stay. That's all I ask."

I felt confused to what Drew meant. Was those words meant for me or not?

**End of chapter. **


	4. Chapter 4

Um, before you guys read the next chapter i just want to make clear about reviews. reviews are a review on a movie, drawing, story etc on things they liked, disliked, loved and other stuff.

Its not about how your pairing you support is better than what is in the story. You could say that "Even i dislike the pairing you put in the story, i still liked it." thats more better than saying. "CONTESTSHIPPING RULES, ADVANCESHIPPING SUKS!" or "This story is horrible because you put contesthipping in it."

Look personally i don't care what you think but if you are going to ramble how "awsome" your ship compared to mine, please don't bother, or yet read my story if its too much for you to handle.

Even crack pairings have a chance to become canon because in the anime there has no confrimation of anybody as a couple, it doesn't matter how stronge your hints are. until the writers wants two chararthers to become a couple, you just have to wait. so don't go bitching on my page on how "awsome" your pairing is compared to mine of somebody elses.

I'm not saying this for myself, im saying this for other authors who might be a little shy saying this themselves.

Okay now you can read.

**~midnight**

**

* * *

**

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping,

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Chapter four**

I couldn't sleep that night.

I suspected that it was the events that happened that day like when I rode back to camp resting in Drew's arms or that Ash was starting to feel his memories coming back to him when he saw the Illumise's and Volbeat's flying around the lake. I turned around in my sleeping bag so I could lie on my back and stare at the green colour tent roof Harley had trouble putting up earlier. Soon I decided that staring at the plain roof tent wasn't going to help me sleep so I went outside to sit next to the campfire to stare at the warm flame burning lightly.

But I was surprised that somebody had already beaten me to that idea.

I saw Ash sitting down with his Buizel sleeping by his side as Ash poke a long snapped off branch into the brightly lit fire. I was curious why Ash was here all alone so I decided to take a seat beside him.

"Got something on your mind eh?" I began as I just took a seat next to Ash.

"Yeah." Ash replied as he kept poking the twig into the fire.

"Was it about what happened at the lake?" I continued to ask.

"That and more." Ash replied.

"More?" I asked once more.

"Ever since I lost my memory my past life has nothing but been a blur." Ash continued. "I can't even get along with my starter pokemon."

Starter pokemon, I soon realized that was Pikachu.

But how? Those two were inseparable, like paper and glue. I felt confusion and felt curious at the same time. I didn't know if I wanted to hear more or not. So I decided to say nothing and let Ash continue.

"We started of great but that quickly faded when I started entering contests. My starter pokemon, Pikachu just wasn't interested and soon he gave up even trying to help me out so I decided that it would be better off if he stayed back home in Pallet town, with Professor Oak with my other pokemon." Ash added as he pulled out the ribbon we both won back at Terracotta town.

"Have you ever wondered how you become a coordinator Ash?" I asked soon after I found the right words to continue the conversation.

"I have at a few times and wonder if I should of continued going after gym badges instead of ribbons but I just into them anymore. I don't know why."

"Ash." I replied. "Do you hate forgetting who you really were?"

Ash didn't reply at first and continued to poke the fire with the long branch and soon when the branch broke that was when Ash replied.

"Yes." Ash replied as he threw the remaining part of the branch into the fire. "I hate it because I can't remember who I use to be and remember that girl."

"Girl?" I asked.

"Dawn says that girl was the one that helped me win this ribbon and introduced me into contests in the first place." Ash replied as he looked into the ribbon as he was deep in thought.

"And what if you meet her?" I continued to ask.

"I would be so glad that I got to find her. At least maybe she could help me remember who I really am."

Should I tell him now?

Should I tell him all about himself?

Would Ash believe me though?

Would he?

I looked at Ash and soon he looked back at me. I touched his cheek with the back of my fingers and slowly slide my fingers across them and looked deep into his auburn eyes.

"I'm sure she will appear to you in due time." I replied as I took my hand away from his face and stood up and was about to walk back to my tent until Ash grabbed me by the wrist.

"When?" Ash asked. "Because I want to know who I am."

"Soon." I replied as I didn't bother to look over my shoulder to see Ash's face. "Soon Ash." I repeated as Ash soon let me go and I continued to walk to my tent.

"Soon my friend." I muttered to myself before heading back to the tent.

*~*~*~*~*

"Okay we are going here." Soledad announced as he placed her finger on Mount Silver. "This is where the grand festival will be held."

"But that place I heard is cold." Harley complained. "My beautiful long hair will frizz up."

"Well if you don't go I have to thank you for making the competition less and making it easier of me winning the grand festival." Drew replied.

"Keep dreaming rosy boy." Harley argued. "I will find a way to keep my hair nice and smooth and beat you four at the grand festival."

"That would be too much for somebody like you purple boy." Drew added, teasing and annoying Harley at the same time.

"Hmph." Harley simply replied.

"Anyway we are here at Goldenrod city, we will take the magnet train that goes to Saffron city which happens past Mount Silver, and so when the train stops off Mount Silver, we all get off and head to the contest hall.

"And I also heard that we should only stay on the east side of the mountain." Drew added.

"Why is that?" Ash asked.

"On the west side is where horrible blizzards blow constantly and strong wild pokemon live." Drew replied.

"And where two super strong pokemon trainers are." Harley added.

"Two trainers?" I asked.

"It's been news between trainers and coordinators that two strong trainers, one girl and one guy lives up on the mountain and challenges anybody they see up there, nobody has ever beaten them. This rumor has been going for three years and these two trainers have never gone down that mountain. "

"And their names?" Soledad asked who I didn't think she would be interested in Harley's stories.

"Many names but the ones I have heard often are the names of Amelia and Alex." Harley replied. "But they never talk from what I heard so I don't think that are even their names." Harley said as he started to think about the idea. "But like if we are going up there. We are going there for the grand festival." Harley cheered as his serious side quickly faded.

"Agreed." Soledad replied as she folded the map. "Anyway we are taking the magnet train tonight so when we wake up it will be morning and we can all head to the grand festival."

"That sounds like a great idea." I smiled and agreed to Soledad's idea. And soon I realized that Ash had disappeared from the group. I decided to look for him so he knew what was going to happen on how we were going to reach Mount Silver.

I kept on going until I reached out of the pokecenter and looked left and right as busy traffic drove right past me, making my hair blow different directions making it hard to spot Ash. Soon I decided to walk to the port located right at the end of the west side of the city and saw Ash looking at the sea in deep thought.

I was about to greet him until I heard him talk.

"Amelia and Alex. Those names sound so familiar to me." Ash muttered to himself as he continued to gaze at the endless sea with dashes of different colours of the sunset.

"Maybe you should let your head rest." I replied. "You have been thinking way too much lately." I replied as I placed my hand on his shoulder. "And the grand festival is coming up; you shouldn't try to think about things you can't remember." I smiled.

"Guess you got a point." Ash replied as he faced my direction. "So anyway how are we getting to Mount Silver?"

"We are taking the magnet train to that leads to Saffron City." I replied.

"Well we better head back to the others then." Ash replied.

"Yeah we should." I smiled.

*~*~*~*~*

(3rd person view flashback of Ash's childhood)

_"You're weak Ash! Your pathetic, why are you even trying to become a pokemon trainer?!" _

_"Because I want to become like daddy!" _

_"Why do you want to become like him? His bad Ash, a bad person!"_

_"No!"_

_"Yes Ash. He left us. Bad people leave people that love them a lot!"_

_"His going to come back, Daddy promised us!"_

_"His never coming back Ash. What part of daddy not coming back do you understand?"_

_"All of it!" _

_*~*~*~*_

"All of what?!" Ash asked in shock.

"You bag is over the limit, of course you have to pay all of it if you want to get on board." Drew replied as he folded his arms. "Now either pay all the remaining money you have in your pocket so we can already get on or get left behind. Your choice really" Drew replied with his arms folded.

"Here" Ash sighed as he gave his money to the reception lady.

"Now let's go shall we?" Soledad replied. "The grand festival isn't going to wait forever."

I kept my eyes on the time as I kept tapping my feet on the cream tiles under my feet as the magnet train was going to leave any moment. When the group was ready to get onto the train, I tripped over my feet from rushing towards the door of the train. Soledad, Harley and Drew already got in and so was Ash until he walked out and helped me onto my feet and just we were about to get on the electric doors slammed shut and started to take off.

"That's just great." I replied in an annoyed tone of voice. "This is why I take cruise boats and not trains."

"You seem to be in trouble? Can I help you?" Somebody asked Ash and I as we both turned around to see where the voices were coming from.

The girl who wanted to help us was around our age. She had a red hat with a bulky top and a orange and yellow striped long sleeve top with a green skirt with long pale yellow socks and green and white shoes and her eyes were brown, nearly as similar to Ash's.

"The name is Mimi." Mimi greeted. "And I can tell that the train just left you behind.

"Well duh." I replied. "If we wasn't we would be on our way to Mount Silver."

The girl stood there quietly and soon replied. "You're going to take on the two trainer's up there?"

"So that silly rumor is true." I muttered to myself and was soon going to replied but Ash beat me to it.

"Nah, we are going to the grand festival up there."

"I see." Mimi replied. "Mind if I help you get on boarded the next train? You see I'm heading up there myself to watch the grand festival. It's the first time a grand festival is help up it such a cold area."

"Well as long we get up there before the rest get any funny ideas." I replied.

"Agreed." Ash added.

"Well the next train comes in fifteen minutes, why don't we get to know each other more until then?" Mimi suggested.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt." I smiled.

*~*~*~*~*

_I watched over the cliff with worry as I watched this trainer holding by a branch with his sick Pikachu in his arms. I didn't know what to expect since I hated pokemon and rather trade pokemon to travel around to new places._

_"I'm going to help you Pikachu." The trainer said to his pokemon as Pikachu struggled to maintain the extra electrical power within its own small body."Don't worry." The trainer added as Pikachu released more sparks from its red cheeks. "Just hang on." _

_Soon Profess Birch and I got a long rope out of his bag and threw the other end down to the trainer and Professor Birch and I held the other. The trainer quickly looked up._

_"Quick Ash, grab the rope!" Professor Birch called out._

_"Okay." He replied and soon climbed the rope towards the professor and I._

_Professor and I dragged the rope to help the trainer up and cliff. When things started to look calm the trainer's Pikachu released more of its extra electricity nearly hitting his trainer. _

_"Pikachu hold stay. It's okay." The boy trainer told his pokemon, trying to calm it down. "Pikachu…" the boy added in a sad tone as his only pokemon struggled to released himself from his grasp and soon bite his trainer in the arm. The boy held the pain as Pikachu released more electricity from itself. "Pikachu…" he repeated and soon his Pikachu realized what he had done to his trainer and looked up._

_"I promise, everything will be fine." He replied in a more slightly cheerful tone of voice. _

_"Pika pi." Was all the small yellow pokemon could reply and his trainer just replied with a simple nod and continued it climb up the rope Professor Birch and I have begin holding for awhile and my hands were getting rope burns for dragging and holding the rope. _

_Wish he could hurry up already._

_Finally the trainer and his Pikachu finally made it over the cliff and the boy made a sigh of relief with his Pikachu still in his arms._

_Actually we were all glad we save him from potential death. I was too young to carry such a burden. _

_"That was close." I replied while still breathing for air._

_"Thanks you guys." The boy replied. Soon his pokemon looked up._

_"Pika pi." It repeated. Like he was sorry for what he had done to him._

_"Pikachu." The boy began. "What da say we head back to the lab and get you all better?" _

_His pokemon didn't say anything but instead started to lick the wound he inflicted on his trainer and soon looked up and simply said "Chaaa." Like it was saying sorry if it could speak English. _

_"I'm fine. I know you didn't mean it little buddy." He replied._

_And before I knew, three people it the same uniform, except for the talking Meowth said some kind of motto like they had memorized it from heart and never bother to change it. And then grabbed the trainer's Pikachu out of his hand like feather, stick some thingies on its cheek and started to drain Pikachu's electricity out of it._

_My question was why would they do such a stunt? They do know there should be more pokemon like his?_

_Soon Pikachu felt better and put on a nasty grin and used an electric move on the bad guys named Team Rocket and blew them towards the sky._

_All I can say is that is one cheap way of travelling. Soon after that Pikachu fainted onto the grass. _

_"Pikachu!" the trainer called out and ran to his pokemon and Professor Birch soon followed. The trainer kept on calling his Pokémon's name until he was sure that it was okay .but I'm sure calling its name out once was already telling him it wasn't okay because it didn't responded and it already fainted on the ground. _

_As we rode to the lab in Professor Birch's car I realized how much the trainer pokemon is meant to him. Soon I found his bag and saw a tag tied onto the zipper and read what it said._

_"Ash Ketchum"_

_Finally I found out that the trainer's name was Ash. I sat at the back like I didn't care about what had just happened and shifted my attention to the passing trees and once I looked back at the trainer and his pokemon. _

_I could tell they were inseparable; they needed each other, like a soul and a sprit, like two people deeply in love. I didn't shift my attention from the two until we reached the lab. I didn't say anything to him as I continued to watch him hold his pokemon so close to his heart. _

_I thought to myself what it would be like to travel with him; I wondered will my look on pokemon change and my attitude. I didn't know what overcame me but I felt like I needed to know him more, like he was going to change my whole life over._

As that memory of meeting Ash for the first time started to fade and reality started to sink in, I didn't knew that after three years how right I was.

**End of chapter. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five**

"_May!" Ash called out before I nearly walked my way onto the boat with Max right beside me._

"_What is it Ash?" I asked in confusion._

"_I want to give this to you." Ash replied as he handed me a shoe box with a red ribbons wrapped around it._

_At first I looked with disappointment since Ash gave me a show box for no reason at all but as soon as I unwrap the ribbon and took off the lid I saw new clothes plus shoes. I saw a green bandana, a orange vest that look liked it was long enough to reach my waist, black shorts with black socks, orange and white shoes with a black stripe across the toe area and a green bag that could sit along my waist. _

_I gave my gift to Max so he could see what Ash had given me and soon smiled back at Ash._

"_Thank you so much Ash." I smiled as I went to hug him. "You the best friend I could ever ask for." _

"_Its okay really May." Ash replied._

"_Hey look, Ash is blushing!" Max teased. _

"_Am not." Ash said as I stopped hugging him and he turned his back from Max but just so happened that Brock as near Ash as well. _

"_I dunno." Brock began. "You face is really red. Maybe you have a fever?" Brock teased as well. _

"_You guys!" Ash called out with an annoyed tone in his voice. _

_We just all laughed. Soon the horn of the boat called and soon told us it was time to head back to Petalburg. We got onto the boat and as it made its way away from Ash and Brock I thought to myself how far I have come since I first met Ash and how much he changed me since we first met._

_I found out that Ash was a huge part of my life. _

_I wondered that if we didn't meet, would I be a pokemon trainer and go after gym badges like I wanted to start off with?_

_So many questions with such little answers, some maybe won't even have an answer. _

_"Ash." I thought to myself. "Thank you."_

_*~*~*~*~*_

"Hey Mimi and May. I'm going to explore okay? I will be right back." Ash said before he was about to leave me and Mimi alone as I continued to gaze at the passing trees the magnet train drove past.

"Sure." Mimi replied in a cheerful tone and soon before I knew it, Ash already left us two alone. Soon I felt like Mimi moved closer to me. At first I felt awkward but soon didn't care less what she would do to me.

"You seem to be thinking of something deep. May I ask what you are thinking about?" Mimi asked in a formal manner.

"Just thinking of my past." I replied. "On how the person that helped me to be the person I am right now will never remember how grateful I am to him."

"That person happens to be Ash?"

I replied with just a simple nod as I still continued to watch more trees pass me by.

"I use to have a brother; he acts a little like Ash." Mimi said as she moved a little away from me and soon made me look away from the window and to her.

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"He is still around. But he acts different now. I don't recognize him as my brother now." Mimi replied.

"Did something happen that made him look at him like that?" I asked once again.

"It's not what happened in the past. It's what going to happen that made me look at him right now." Mimi replied.

The statement that Mimi replied back to me left me all confused that my mind couldn't think of anything to reply back but by the way Mimi was acting I think that is what she meant to do.

"_It's not what happened in the past. It's what going to happen."_

Those words didn't seem to leave my mind, no matter how hard I tried. What was Mimi trying to say? That something bad was going to happen to her and her brother? That something similar happened to a friend of hers or did this already happen to her other friends?

But I had a gut feeling that sentence was meant to Ash and I more that her life.

*~*~*~*~*

(3rd person view for Mimi's past)

"_I'm bored of waiting."_

"_That's nice."_

"_No, seriously." _

"_Like I said, That's very nice to know." _

"_That's it I'm leaving."_

"_Now where are you going now Mimi?"_

"_I'm going to find something to do that I bet you won't like."_

_(back to May's POV)_

I entered the cabin room and saw Mimi staring at the window as the sky was empty with clouds and with only the full moon placed in the sky with its bright white light lit up the room. Ash was at the bottom part of the bunk bed placed on the left side already asleep. I was planning to sleep on the bottom right bunk bed placed at the right side of the cabin until I saw Mimi just constantly gazing at the full moon.

I was confused why Mimi was looking at the moon like that since she was more of a cheerful and a person full of personality. Making me watch her like that made me worried. Even we only knew each other for a few days I still worried for her.

"You plan to sleep yet?" I asked as soon I decided to break the silence in the room.

"Soon." Mimi replied as she continued to stare at the scenery outside. Her voice was very soft and I nearly couldn't hear it.

I thought it was best if I just left Mimi alone to herself as I soon headed to sleep on my side of the bunk bed.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Another five minutes." I complained as I pulled the sheets to cover my face praying that I would get that five minutes of extra sleep.

"Well okay you can just miss the grand festival and let Ash over here win." Mimi teased.

"There's always next year." I replied as I wanted Mimi quiet so I could get more sleep and soon I felt the blanket stolen from my arms and that's when my eyes fully opened and my mind woken up.

"Now now." Mimi began. "You shouldn't act like that. I mean this is your second chance at redemption of winning the Johto grand festival." Mimi added.

Then I heard footsteps enter the room and saw Drew, Soledad and Harley with Ash right behind. Everyone was looking at me in my pajamas. I could feel my face go as red as a Marcago in embarrassment.

"Wha…whaa…what are you..." I began to ask before Drew finished me off.

"We are here to get you out of here." Drew replied as he finished my sentence.

"Looks like somebody slept in." Soledad teased.

"Please, not you to Soledad." I sighed and soon the whole group just laughed.

*~*~*~*~*

"Can't believe you didn't give me a warning." I muttered in an annoyed tone of voice.

"Well I tried." Ash sighed as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Well it was either me taking off the blankets really quickly or the prince charming method." Mimi stated.

"Wait you mean somebody kissing me so I could wake up?" I asked. "Do you really think that idea would work?!" I added.

"It was Ash's idea." Mimi teased.

"What?!" Ash replied in shock. "You just mention that idea just now!" Ash yelled.

"Just admit it Ashy boy. You wanted to do it." Mimi teased.

"No I didn't and don't call me Ashy boy!" Ash yelled.

"Can't believe I'm actually have to get use to this." Drew sighed.

"Now, now." Soledad sweat dropped as she tried to stop the arguing of Mimi and Ash. "Let's talk about that later. Right now we are here." Soledad said as she pointed up towards a two story house with its body structure built out of huge logs. "This place offers quiet decent contest outfits. I'm sure there are great outfits for everyone."

We all decided that we should buy decent warm outfits for the grand festival since we were at such a cold area. Harley helped Ash to choose a outfit while Soledad helped with mine and Drew just went hunting for costumes on his own and as Mimi just tried different costumes for the fun of it.

"You look great May." Soledad complimented.

"I don't know." I replied as I was so nervous coming out. "I haven't worn a dress since the Wallace Cup."

"Just come out already." Mimi replied as she dragged my arm out and soon followed my whole body and made me fall onto the floor.

I was wearing a gold long sleeve dress with a gold and orange stripe long skirt that reached the floor. I had piggy tales with orange ribbons to hold them in place and I had white gloves and cream high heels. I soon got up ready to yell to Mimi why she had done that but when I did got onto my feet Mimi was already on the other side and had just dragged Ash out of his changing room as well.

"Looks like my job here is done." Mimi smiled and acted like she had done a good thing to Ash and I when she hadn't.

"You never had a job role to begin with!" Ash yelled as soon walked to Soledad and I with the rest following.

Ash was wearing a black suit with gold tips at the ends of the sleeves and had a fancy white scarf wrapped around his neck. Harley was wearing a green suit with a purple bow tie wrapped around his neck. It didn't really look any different to the normal out going clothes he wears and I call costumes. Drew was wearing a white tux with a red rose placed in the top right pocket in his tux.

"Where's Soledad?" Drew asked.

"Right here." Soledad replied as she came out of the dressing room with a long ball room navy blue dress with sequences scattered at the bottom half of the dress.

"Wow." Mimi said as her jaw nearly touched the wooden floor. "Can't believe you're a guest judge for this year's grand festival."

"Well they did ask for something fancy." Soledad smiled.

As I was too busy glancing at Soledad's grand festival dress I didn't notice that Ash was right next to me. When I turned to my left Ash turned to my direction at the same time. I could see the blush grow on his face and maybe mine as well. Soon we looked away trying and soon Ash looked back at my direction.

"You look really nice in that dress." Ash smiled. "It's like we have matching pairs or something."

"Yeah." I nodded. "And you look quite nice in that tux Mr. Ketchum." I smiled.

Soon we both laughed at the compliments we both gave each other. Soon I started a new conversation between us when I got the idea.

"Who do you think you will be using?" I asked.

"Maybe Monoferno for the appeals." Ash replied as he was still thinking of who else he could use.

"Well I will Delcatty then." I winked.

"That sounds like a great pair." Ash smiled and soon I started to laugh with him.

When we both finished laughing I looked at Drew who was hanging around Harley and Soledad and he looked back which was more of a glare with personality. Like he didn't like what he was looking at. Soon he turned away and continued talking with Soledad and Harley. The way Drew looked at me was nothing I ever saw. He was acting a little similar like the time I rode in his arms back to camp.

"_Just stay. That's all I ask."_

After all this time, I still couldn't think what he meant by that. Doesn't Drew dislike me? Then why did he say those words to me. My heart started to beat a little faster and started to skip beats when I thought of one idea.

That Drew was in love with me.

I placed my hand on my heart and it was beating faster than normal. Then I started to question my own feelings to Drew. Could this possible mean that I to, was in love with Drew?

I didn't knew what to do and soon walk upstairs of the building without getting any attention and sat in a dark corner covered with empty boxes. I sat there in that corner for what felt forever until I heard somebody coming up the stairs and towards my direction. At first I thought it was the owner but soon I found out it was Ash instead.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked as he moved a few more boxes out of my way.

"Hiding my feelings away." I replied as I continue to look at the wooden floor. "From an important person to me."

"May…" Ash said with a sad tone in his voice. "Come." Ash added as he offered his hand to me when I decided to look up to him. He was smiling down towards me. I soon grabbed his hand and Ash soon pulled me up towards his body. We were so close we could let our noses touch if we wanted to.

Our bodies were like if they were glued together; our arms were like ribbons and were like it was wrapped around us like we were some kind of gift and our eyes were focused into each other's, forgetting that we had others with us.

"You know." Ash began, still in our same spots. "I never notice how blue your eyes really are." He said as his moved closer that it looked like we were kissing. "Their sapphire." He whispered in my ear.

Soon I rested my head on Ash's shoulder and closed my eyes and soon smiled.

"I'm glad that you notice that after all this time." I replied as a tear escaped my eye lids and ran down my cheek. I soon realized that Ash was starting to take more notice of me.

Was this a way of him starting to remember me?

I closed my eyes again and embraced Ash slightly tighter.

"I hope so." I mumbled.

**End of chapter **


	6. Chapter 6

I thought this time that it was time fir Drew to receive a bigger role in my fic, same with Harley and Soledad, in fact i nearly forgot about poor little Mimi until i read my chapters all over again. xD

**~midnight**

**

* * *

**

**Shippings in this chapter:** Contestshipping, slight Advance

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Chapter six**

"Spotlight now Delcatty!" I called out as I threw my pokeball up into the air and soon a bright light collided with the ground and formed my pokemon.

"Del!" Delcatty greeted me.

"Infernape, time to shine!" Ash also called out as he released out his pokemon, Infernape.

"Absol let's go!" Drew called out as he released his dark type pokemon.

"Slowbro time to appear!" Soledad said as she was the last one to release her pokemon to the field.

"Why am I here?" Harley complained.

"Referee's don't whine." Drew stated. "Now hurry up and call out the rules of the battle so we can start."

"Fine." Harley sighed. "This is tag battle and you may only use one pokemon. The battle starts now." Harley added without any excitement in his voice.  
The reason we were battling because we wanted to try out how it felt to battle with different partners. I wasn't really supporting the idea at first but later on I felt it was a great idea and plus we needed the training since the Grand festival was only a few days away.

"Okay let's go Slowbro with Psychic on Infernape!" Soledad commanded.

"Infernape, Detect now!" Ash yelled.

Infernape's eyes turned neon green and dodge the psychic attack like it knew where it was going to hit.

"Assist Delcatty!" I called out.

I really didn't know what move would come out, but since my team consist moves that Infernape and Absol were weak against I knew whatever came out would still do some damage. Soon Delcatty released a powerful silver wind attack from my Beautifly and attacked both Ash's and Drew's pokemon. Infernape didn't seem to be affected by much and only moved a few steps back while Absol gripped its claws deep into the ground, avoiding flying off the field.

"Night slash Absol!" Drew called out right after as Absol quickly moved up right in front of Slowbro and did a powerful slash right in its face.

"Counter with Ice beam Slowbro!" Soledad called out quickly.

Slowbro opened its mouth and released a chilling ice beam right into Absol's face and made it flew backwards and into mid air but landed on its four feet like nothing happened as ice flakes surrounded Absol showing it elegance. In a contest that would of reduced Soledad's points.

"Mach punch on Delcatty Infernape!" Ash soon called out after.

Infernape's speed was so fast I couldn't think of a counter attack or a move that could have intercepted it. Infernape punched Delcatty right into the face and I could tell that it did a lot of damage and if I didn't find a way to defeat Infernape soon, he will have already beaten me before me.

"Dig let's go!" I told me Delcatty and soon followed my orders and started to dig underground.

I figured out that if I made Delcatty dig underground I could at least keep me safe from Infernape's fighting type attacks.

"Okay use surf Slowbro!" Soledad called out as Slowbro soon created a huge wave and crashed right into Infernape and Absol.

"Now use dig!" I yelled and soon saw Delcatty appeared right underneath Infernape until Ash called out a move.

"Mach punch now Infernape!" Ash replied right after.

Ash's Infernape dodged my Delcatty's dig attack and once more used Mach punch on Delcatty making it fly back to its starting position.

"Shadow Ball Absol!" Drew called out and soon his Absol created a black ball with thin lines of purple surrounding it, looking like it was electricity that was surrounding the black ball. Soon the attack hit Slowbro badly from Absol's last attack.

I looked at Delcatty and saw it breathing out heavily and having a hard time standing on its feet. I knew that the next move I was going to take was a risk, but I had no other choice. It was either that move or accepting defeat.

"Assist once more Delcatty!" I called out in desperation.

Delcatty soon found its way onto its feet and used Morning Sun. The sun's rays fell onto Delcatty, restoring its energy while showing its beauty under the morning sun's rays. Delcatty was smiling after the move and was ready for another round.

"Thunderbolt on Absol, Slowbro!" Soledad commanded her Water and Psychic type pokemon.

Slowbro raised its arms and quickly put them down and as soon Slowbro did that a flash of lighting came out of the skies and hit Absol harsh. After the attack Absol was left paralyzed but it didn't last long and soon Absol fainted after the attack.

"Return." Drew replied right after and soon looked at Ash. "It's up to you now." Drew added.

"I know." Ash nodded. "If I could beat gym leaders back in my past then I can win this." Ash winked.

Drew looked a little shock to what Ash had told him about the gym battles. I remember what Dawn told me about when Ash forgot about his memory in the hospital that he knew he was once a pokemon trainer.

But did that mean that he remembered about how he got all his badges in the past?

While I was thinking I didn't notice that Ash told his Infernape to use the move Close Combat right on Slowbro, even it wasn't the best move on a Psychic pokemon it was just enough to knock out Soledad's Slowbro. After receiving super effective damage from Drew's Absol attack like Night Slash and Shadow Ball I knew that it wouldn't last any longer, even the attack was super effective or not.

"Doesn't this bring back memories?" Soledad asked me as she returned Slowbro back into its pokeball. I knew she was referring to me. Back in Terracotta town where it was Ash and I against the Terracotta ribbon. I was using my newly evolved Blaziken and Ash was using his Sceptile.

Could this mean that this battle would bring out the same result?

I looked at Ash and saw commanded his Infernape to use Flame wheel.

"Quick, dodge it by using Quick Attack." I quickly replied.

Delcatty quickly moved out of the way by using quick attack as a dodging move. Infernape's Flame wheel attack had just missed; if I had reacted any slower I would have already lost the battle.

"Once more Infernape!" Ash called out.

"Copycat Delcatty!" I called out; determine not to lose the battle.

Infernape opened its mouth and blew out blistering hot flames that engulfed its whole body, forming the shape of a huge wheel. Delcatty mimicked the same move too and soon both Pokémon where headed dead straight towards each other. I clutched my hand into a fist and tighten in tension of the finishing result.

If I will win this or end the same way back in Terracotta town.

When mine and Ash's Pokémon collided to each other and flare and smoke quickly rose and covered the field like the smoke was a thin sheet blanket. I waited until the smoke subsided from the field.

My eyes widen with shock and I saw the final result. Both Pokémon where still on their feet. They had burnt marks and scratches at different parts of their bodies, both where looking at each other's eyes like neither one wanted to give up. Soon both of them lost their strength to continue and both fainted onto the ground.

"Both Pokémon are unable to continue. This match ends in a tie." Harley added. Sounding like he was enjoy his job of referee.

"Great job Delcatty." I replied as I held Delcatty in my arms and gave a gentle hug before returning it into its poke ball.

"Same here Infernape." Ash replied as he too gave his Pokémon well deserved rest. Soon Ash walked towards me. "Great battle May." Ash added as he offered his hand for a handshake. "The battle we had reminded me of a battle I once had awhile back."

"A similar battle?" I questioned as I accepted the handshake Ash offered me.

"Back in Kanto, In Terracotta town." He replied back. "Where Brock told that is where I won this ribbon." Ash added as he pulled out the ribbon we both won in Terracotta town. "He said I won this with another girl, a girl very close to me. He said that she will be the one to help me remember who I really am and also." Ash added once more and took a breath and soon continued. "That I have to patience and understand whatever happens when I find out who she really is."

I didn't reply after that. I didn't seem to find any right words that would continue the flow of the conversation without revealing who I really was to Ash. As Ash walked back to the others I thought about Brock and what he had told Ash about whom he is. He knew that sending Ash here to Johto would be the only key they knew to restore his memory of who he really is. He knew that it would be hard on me to accept what had happened to him, so telling Ash to understand whatever happens when he finds out was a good thing to say to him.

I stood there for awhile and soon walked to the pokecenter where the others went but was interrupted when somebody placed their hand on my shoulder.

"Mimi?" I asked in confusion. "Where did you go while I was battle with the boys?" I asked.

"Went around and looking around." Mimi smiled. "Anyway that was a great battle." Mimi smiled once more. "And you should just stop thinking so deep and spacing out. It's starting to scare me."

"Sorry Mimi." I apologized and sweat dropped. "It's just so hard to act around Ash like we haven't met before. I can't act who I really am around him since he forgotten about me and the rest of the gang." I sighed.

"You know May." Mimi began as we started to walk towards the pokecenter and following the others. "I know how you feel as well. Acting around a person like you haven't met them before."

"Then you must know how it feels." I responded.

"Of course May." Mimi simply replied soon after. For once I was talking to Mimi's serious side. "You just want to burst out the words about who you really are to them but you know how the results are going to end so you have to hide it a little longer." Mimi continued as she looked up towards the sky and looked back at me. "I told myself that I should look at the good side of everything of the event."

"What's so good about having somebody so close to you forget all about you?" I asked with a slight annoyed tone in my voice.

"It's a good time to get to know them much better, to find out interesting stuff that you didn't know about them once." Mimi smiled and ran a little ahead of me and swirled around making her green skirt lift up a little and float and looked back at me."They may lose something they once had but they will always gain something new and that is what we must find out." Mimi winked added with a cheeky smile.

I couldn't help but to smile a little and agree to what everything Mimi had told me. I mean she was only a year older than me.

"Okay." I smiled. "I shall find something Ash has gained in his memory lost."

"That's great." Mimi cheered. "Be the one that he always told me of. The Princess from the region of Hoenn who doesn't know the meaning of giving up!" Mimi cheered once more as she

raised her arms into the air. "Anyway meet you at the pokecenter." Mimi added with a smile and ran ahead of me and to the pokecenter.

"Be the one that he always told me of?" I repeated the statement to myself. "Who is 'he' Mimi is telling me about?" I asked myself as I continue to walk towards the pokecenter.

Rain.

It just falls from the sky and crashes on whatever surface it collides into.

It doesn't hurt anyone. But it sometimes hurts when gazed at.

It's dull colour, its depressing appearance, the way it makes the streets empty and by the way it crashes onto the window, like the sky was crying the pain it was holding for such an immense amount of time.

It cries silently without making a sound, so that nobody can hear it, or worry about.

Then why can't I do the same?

"May?" A voice called from behind as I sat on the edge of the mattress that was facing the window as my back was facing the door and the person that called out my name. I continued to gaze at the teardrops that smashed at the window's surface in front of me.

"You sure have been acting weird lately." The voice added as I heard their footsteps coming towards me. "You sure you're okay?" The voiced asked. I shifted my eyes to my left and saw a boy with lime hair with a slight concerned look on his face.

"I'm…fine." I replied as I shifted my eyes away from Drew and back at the scenery.

"May." Drew replied as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "We have known each other for a long time and I know you well enough to know when you're _not_ okay." Drew opened his eyes and saw me still not looking at him. "As a rival I'm concerned about you, so is Soledad and Harley."

"What…would happen…?" I began as I slowly moved my head to face Drew. "…if Ash founded about me before I got a chance to tell him?" I asked as my question seemed more random and had nothing to do with Drew's question.

"Well if I was Ash." Drew replied and began to think and soon added. "I would be shocked and probably need some time alone."

"Do you think it's time for me to tell him about who he is and who we really are in his life?" I asked Drew once more.

"Do you think he would believe you?" Drew asked me. "Let's say a man around in his 30's came up to you and said that he was your father. Would you believe him?"

"No." I quickly replied soon after.

"Then change that scene to you and Ash and you play the role of the man in this case but you were saying that you were the girl in his missing memory. Do you think he will believe you? Remember you have only known each other for a few weeks. Actually we all have in this case."

"No." I sighed. "But I want to tell him already. So I can have my old best friend back!" I cried.

"His never coming back May." Drew replied. "I don't really know him that much but I know he is a good guy but no matter what we do, or even restore his memory I don't think the old Ash we both knew isn't coming back any sooner."

"Maybe we should just let Ash return to Sinnoh." I replied. "Since not matter what we all do. Ash won't be the same one we all knew well." I added as I stood up and began to make my way until Drew grabbed my wrist by the hand.

"But you're his best friend May." Drew quickly replied as he still held my wrist and slowly made his way down until we were holding hands. "As his best friend you would do everything to help him, I mean after how many times he helped you and the times you tell us that how grateful you are to him."

"So why are you helping then if you personally don't know him that much?" I asked.

"Because I'm helping a good friend of mine who, I'm very much grateful to." Drew replied with a grateful smile across his face as he finally stood up and still holding my hand.

I tried to hold my tears even more back but there wasn't any more room and soon water built in them and overflowed and ran down my cheeks as I went to embraced Drew and his held me in his arms.

It was the only good way I could think of to repay all the help he has given me.

**End of chapter**


	7. Chapter 7

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping, PokeSilvershipping, MayxLyra

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Chapter seven**

"Hm, now which one did I have to get now?" I questioned myself as I read down the list of ingredients I needed to get as I looked into my basket. "I already have that." I told myself as I looked at the jar of unopened strawberries.

"Maybe you need this." A voiced suggested as I looked away from the selves of the poke mart and to the person suggesting the item.

The person that suggested the jar of honey was a girl. She has a huge white hat with a red ribbon wrapped around with a red bow placed in the right side. She had brown hair with her hair bending outward. She had blue overalls with red long sleeves inside. She had long socks with black placed at the edge and red shows to finish the whole outfit.

"I heard from Dawn that honey gives a better taste if you want to make poffins." She added.

"Thanks." I replied as I accepted the small jar of honey. "But how do you know I'm a friend of Dawn's and who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Lyra Peart and I'm also a friend of Dawn's. We met around two years ago in Sinnoh when the Johto festival was held there." Lyra explained.

"That means you know Ash as well?" I asked.

"Yeah." Lyra nodded.

"At least he knows you." I muttered and soon sighed.

"Why is that?" Lyra asked me soon after. I was slightly surprised as I thought that she didn't hear what I had just said.

"Well it's that Ash has forgotten who I am, my rivals he has talked to and seen and him ever been a pokemon trainer." I replied. "And we all have to act like we never met before." I added and soon sighed disapprovingly.

"Oh my." Lyra replied in shock as she covered her mouth at the same time. "Do you think he remembers me?" She asked.

"You could come with me later and find out." I suggested as I held the basket a little higher. "And maybe help me make some poke blocks?"

"Sure and maybe I could talk about something about Ash and I where when I was back in Sinnoh." Lyra winked.

"Sure thing Lyra." I smiled but was more curious than glad since I wanted to know what Lyra wanted to talk to me about.

_(3rd person view for Lyra's flashback)_

__

"How long do we have to wait the others to come?!" Lyra complained as she and Ash sat on the dry hard rock cave floor.

__

"Just wait a little longer." Ash replied as he had his back lying on the ground with his hands behind his head, acting like if it was a pillow."

__

"You seem very relax about the situation." Lyra complained.

__

"I've been in these situations before Lyra." Ash replied as he soon decided to sit up. "I have been travelling longer than you." Ash added.

__

"By the way..." Lyra said and thought for awhile. "You have been to Johto before right?" Lyra asked.

__

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "I haven't been there for a long time."

__

"Well do you know a coordinator by the name of May Maple?" The young pokemon trainer asked. "She has quite a name back in Johto."

__

"Yeah I do." Ash replied. "We met back in Hoenn in Littleroot town."

__

"Wow, you even been to Hoenn?!" Lyra said in shock as she quickly stood up. Surprised that Ash had been to so many regions. "But anyway that's not where I'm aiming this conversation to." Lyra quickly added as she took a seat closer to Ash and looked into his eyes like she was gazing at something hard. "I'm asking if you love May." Lyra asked.

__

"Of course I do." Ash smiled. "I love all my friends."

__

"That's not what I mean." Lyra replied as she sweat dropped and face palmed herself. "The love I'm talking about is the one is where you get jealous when you see May near another boy, the one where you feel happy then normal when she is near you, the one where you feel disappointed when she loses a contest, that feeling of when she hasn't come back you feel so worried that you want to look for her when you know you can't and you feel like the whole world is crumbling to pieces when she is leaving and not returning for a very long time!" Lyra yelled after her long rant. "That's the love I'm talking about Ash."

"That love…" Ash replied with a slight blush on his face and shifted his eyes away from Lyra's. "Well I do feel kind of angry when she is around Drew for a long time, I do feel sad when she loses a contest and I sometimes blame myself when she loses, I do tend to worry when she's gone and hasn't contact the rest of the group for a long time and I feel sad when she was leaving back to Hoenn." Ash added as he looked back at Lyra's face. "Is that the love you're talking about?" Ash asked.

"Yes." Lyra nodded. "And also when you're in love, your heart beats faster than normal and you always question yourself why it's doing that." Lyra looked at the cave ceiling and looked back at Ash. "When it comes to questioning about if we love that person, we are the worse judges at that. Our answers are always muddled up and isn't always that same, you're afraid that you are wrong and that person you love so much doesn't like you as much as you love them."

"Love sounds so complicated." Ash replied in a confused attitude.

"But if you a person so much, it isn't." Lyra added.

  
*~*~*~*~*

(back to May's POV.)

"I see." I replied. "So you're saying that Ash could have had a crush on me before?" I asked as we headed into my room I was sharing with the others. "I find that very hard to believe Lyra." I laughed. "Ash wouldn't know what love meant even it hit him in the head like a rock." I laughed once again.

"Maybe." Lyra thought. "But when I talked to Ash that one time it sounded so different, even I did only know him for only a few days." Lyra added as she helped me put some of of items into my yellow backpack. "What about you?" She asked me.

"What about me?" I asked as I took the last item out of the plastic bag and into my yellow backpack.

"Do you like Ash?" Lyra asked me.

My heart started to skip beats and beat faster, like the same time I asked myself if I was in love with Drew. My body wouldn't move and my mind couldn't think of any words to reply back to Lyra.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I quickly replied as I felt my face just went red for some odd reason.

"I see that your face is bright red. That means you like him." Lyra teased. "I beat you two did such interested things at the night together back in Hoenn." Lyra teased more.

"WHATT??!!" I quickly yelled in shock after what Lyra said. "Ash and I didn't do anything like that!" I added. "How could you say such words?!"

And right after that Lyra and I saw Ash standing at the door that also had a red blush on his face from the embarrassment.

"I don't even know May that much and yet you're saying stuff like she is my girlfriend or something Lyra." Ash replied and slightly laughed after.

"Just teasing." Lyra laughed. "You two act like you actually did." Lyra laughed once more. "Just look at your faces."

"Now your acting just like Mimi." I sighed. "Like one isn't enough."

"Who is Mimi?" Lyra asked.

"She was a girl we met back in Goldenrod city in Johto when the train left May and I at the port." Ash replied. "Since we got here she hasn't been around but she does turn up." Ash included as he walked closer to us girls. "And what are _you_ doing here?!" Ash asked slightly annoyed.

"I went up Mount Sliver." Lyra replied in a disappointed manner. "On the west side where everything is so cruel and harsh." Lyra added as if she was ready to cry and as Lyra sat on the soft carpet floor.

"What's the matter?" I asked as knelt down and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"I lost." Lyra simply replied. "I wanted to see if the rumor was true. So I went up there by myself. After beating the champion I thought maybe I was strong enough to face the two trainers I heard about. When I got up there the blizzard was bad and so was the fog. You could see the place but it was very hard to do so. Soon I saw a trainer up there. He had no jacket or anything. He was staring at me like I was his enemy or something. Soon he held a poke ball in his hand and released a Pikachu. I knew that trainer wanted a battle so I did."

"What happened after that?" Ash asked.

"I only defeated three out of his six pokemon. But his Pikachu knocked most of mine out. When I lost he just glared at me once more and smiled at me in a bad way and laughed a little. The trainer even said go home you useless trainer." Lyra cried. "He was just so mean and strong. I was so…useless!" Lyra cried more as she started to wipe her tears away.

"That's not true Lyra!" Ash called out loud so that Lyra could stop crying. "I know you well enough to say that isn't true. You even beat Lance. You're a strong trainer Lyra. I know you are!"

"Thanks guys." Lyra smiled. "But when I went up that mountain there was something missing." Lyra added as she went back on the topic of the trainer on top of Mount Silver. "There was only one up there when there was suppose to be two."

"One only?" I asked. "But the rumor says there should be two."

"I know." Lyra added. "Maybe the other one went down for supplies?" She suggested.

Ash soon stood up and began to make his way out of the room as I helped Lyra up to her feet when I saw ash already at the door.

"Where are you going?" I enquired.

"I feel like I want to go up that mountain." Ash replied. "But I know I can't since the festival is starting in only two days."

"If the grand festival wasn't held right now I would come with you." I added.

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "If only." Ash said as he looked at me. "Anyway tonight can you come with me? I need to greet a friend you might know."

"Sure." I nodded as I saw Ash nod back at me and made his way out of the room.

"I wonder who this person I might know of that Ash also knows of." I questioned myself as I helped Lyra to calm down a little more.

The night sky was cloudy as Ash and I walked out of the pokecenter and down a path away from the red and white building. Tiny flakes of snow fell down from the fluffy night sky but wasn't enough to cover the dry ground and wild grass placed all over the area. Even we were at a mountain it was only the west side that took most of the snow. I embraced myself as I wished my long pink and green winter coat was a little more warmer and when I looked in front of me I saw that Ash stopped and looked my way.

"You seem cold." Ash asked. "Do you want to hold my hand and walk closer to me?" Ash asked once more.

"S..Sure." I replied as I grabbed Ash's hand and walked more closely to him.

We continue to walk down the jagged path as we walked past homes and shops that where was closed and a few houses with their lights still on. We continued to walk when we past the buildings when a sudden strong gust of wind blew right into my right side of my body which nearly made me lose my balance until Ash held me in his arms.

"You sure are tired tonight aren't you?" Ash smiled.

I just nodded slightly from me begin held in Ash's arm and the cold wind blowing from behind.

"Hey look over there!" A voiced called from afar. "It's Ash and May!"

"Who could that be?" I asked as I soon felt warm enough to talk properly.

"Don't you know who that is?!" Ash laughed. "She told me you both met at the Wallace Cup."

"You mean its…" I suddenly replied but was interrupted when I saw the person I knew come up to Ash and I that was still embracing each other.

"May!" Dawn greeted as he joined and embraced Ash and I which made the hug into a group hug.

"Hi Dawn." I smiled. "I would love to hug you but it's really cold."

"I know." Dawn smiled. "Kenny wouldn't stop annoying me on how far we had left to reach the poke center."

"Heard that Dee Dee." Kenny teased as he finally reached up to the rest of the group.

"Kenny, after two years you still haven't stopped calling me that stupid nick name!" Dawn yelled.

As I watched the two bickering I notice that Dawn was wearing a long red dress with a thick scarf nicely wrapped around her neck with pink buttons placed lower down at the dress. She had very long white socks that looked like there were her pants and she still wore her pink boots. And the boy she was arguing with had brown hair with a warm dark green coat that was nearly similar to mine.

"Hey who are those two love birds doing. Are those your friend Dee Dee?" Kenny asked.

"We are not love birds!" Ash and I said simultaneously.

"That is what everyone says." Kenny laughed at.

"Of course they aren't." Dawn sweat dropped. "Right?" Dawn asked in a worried manner.

"I'm too young to think of girls." Ash sweat dropped.

"And I got a contest to win!" I added.

"Not while Kenny and I am here." Dawn added to the conversation as she talked back into her normal tone of voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"We mean that Dawn and I are entering the Grand festival this year." Kenny answered for me.

I felt like my jaw had dropped down and hit the ground hard. Dawn and Kenny thought I was speechless in a good way when I wasn't. I couldn't believe what I had heard from Kenny's lips.

That him and Dawn where entering this year's Johto grand festival.

And that it could not cost me a ribbon in this time but winning the actually grand festival.

**End of chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping, Slight SapphirePearl, Contest and Pearlshipping

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Chapter eight**

"Garchomp and Venasaur?" I questioned Ash as I sat up from the bed and got a bowl of berries for Ash and I. "Sounds like an interesting pair."

"Well that's the plan right?" Ash asked me as he watched Munchlax followed me back to the bed.

"I guess it will do." I replied as I handed Munchlax a bowl of bulk berries as I went back to lay down with a bowl of berries for Ash and I so share. "Slow down will you now? I don't have many left Munchlax." I told my never ending eating pokemon.

"Munch!" Munchlax nodded and went back to where it normally came out of.

I continue to gaze at what was in front of my eyes and that was ceiling above me. The room consisted of two double beds place at the left and right sides of the room and in between was a television big enough for the people to watch from and a huge window with a beautiful aqua colour sea. My mind still couldn't grasp the concept that Dawn and Kenny was against Ash and I from winning the grand festival this year. After I lost the Aqua ribbon to Dawn I wasn't myself even I acted normal in front of my friends, to the fact I lost to somebody that had been a pokemon coordinator for shorter than I have was just embarrassing that I was surprised Drew or Harley didn't mock me about my lost.

I was afraid to lose to Dawn again. I was afraid that she might be the one that will make me question myself why I'm even a coordinator to begin with. I turned to my side and my face pointing towards Ash's who was also lying on his back with his hands behind his head. Looking like he was thinking as deep as I was until he turned towards my direction.

"Hey." He began. "What's the matter? You look like something is bothering you."

"I'm scared Ash." I replied. "I'm afraid that there will be a time where we will have to face Dawn and Kenny."

"You shouldn't be." Ash replied. "You're the one of the oldest coordinators here with the most experience at begin with. You shouldn't let one lost get you down. And even we lose this grand festival there's always next year." Ash added as he tried to lift my spirits.

"But that doesn't mean it will make any difference. It's the skill that makes everything happen." I replied. "I lost to Dawn before; while we battled she used moves I could never think of, combinations that I could never think could work. She is much better than I am Ash." I replied as I sat up and looked at the huge window placed in the middle of the room and behind the television. "I'm starting to lose hope of winning a grand festival at all." I sighed.

"May…" Ash added as he too sat up next to me.

"I came back here to win this year's grand festival for redemption. To find my old self that use to love contests. When I left Hoenn to come here for the first time I couldn't stop smiling. When I arrived to Sinnoh to compete in the Wallace Cup and lose to Dawn my winning streaks became rare that I can't remember the feeling of winning one." I said as I began a new topic. "But I always knew that one person back in a other region would be cheering on for me if he was here and say to never give up, but he wasn't. Even my rivals where here to help me cheer on, in the end they are my rivals, not my dearest friends I miss so much."

"So I'm not a friend but I rival eh?" Ash asked in a sad tone of voice as when I looked at him he was looking at the scene outside. "I don't see you like that May. I see you as a close friend of mine."

"You're…different." I replied. "In a way I find too hard to explain to you." I answered back.

"Ever since I lost my memories I didn't feel like facing the world anymore and wished that when I close my eyes, this would be all a bad dream." Ash replied as he looked towards me. "But, when I met you, that all changed because I had a friend like you, May. You made me change the way I felt about myself" Ash added as he soon sighed. "Even I will never be my old self at least I won't look at the world the same why I did before I met you."

"And Dawn?" I asked. "How much does she mean to you?"

"She a very close friend to me." Ash blushed and looked away from me. "But she has being acting strange around me lately and I have being having a hard time talking to her."

"You love her don't you?" I asked out of nowhere, discontinuing the flow of the conversation. My voice soon became depressed and a sound of a whisper after that.

"Love is too complicated to talk about now the grand festival is tomorrow." Ash replied as he tried to avoid my question and avoid eye contact with me.

"That's not what I mean." I replied as I looked into Ash's eyes. "The love I'm talking about is the one is where you get jealous when you see Dawn near another boy, the one where you feel happy then normal when she is near you, the one where you feel disappointed when she loses a contest, that feeling of when she hasn't come back you feel so worried that you want to look for her when you know you can't and you feel like the whole world is crumbling to pieces when she is leaving and not returning for a very long time." I replied as I repeated the words Lyra told him a few years back.

Ash's eyes got larger with shock on how I knew what Lyra had told my once as he quickly put his attention back to me. He acted like he knew that does words were meant for me and not Dawn or that he supposedly had a crush on me. Like I was acting like Lyra and this was the first time he had heard those words for the first time in his entire life. A blush quickly spread across his cheeks once more, for what reason I had no idea.

I moved closer to Ash until the sides of our bodies touched. I was wondering why Ash didn't move back and push me away or even look away, but he didn't and instead he let me rise my hand and brush my fingertips through his thick black hair as I continued to gaze into his auburn eyes. I moved my eyes until our foreheads were touching. I could still see the blush on his face. I soon moved my hand out of his hair and slowly make its way to his cheek. I felt it on how dry they were, like he cried recently. I felt water starting to build in my eyes once more.

"Why did you cry?" I asked in a very soft voice. "Tell me." I simply demanded in a soft voice.

"I…" Ash replied as he closed his eyes and held my hand which was still on his cheek. "I want my old life back. I want to stop seeing my friends so sad. It's all my fault why they are the way they are now." Ash stopped and soon continued as he opened his eyes. "But how did you know?"

"Because I cry for that same reason as well." I replied as I felt water run down my cheeks. "If only this was a dream, my life would be much happier. I could finally stop pretending." I added as more tears quietly ran past down my cheeks.

"Our life." Ash added as we both look into each other's eyes and saw a shadow puppet that was playing out fake lives.

Soon we moved out faces even closer until we both closed our eyes and felt our lips touching, our tongues meeting at times, the warmth of our bodies touching and the tears we were both felt run down our cheeks. For that moment I felt like time stopped and let us both enjoy the moment, like it finally stopped watching my dreams go pass by and gave my wish.

But it was such a short wish.

We both opened our eyes and we didn't say anything afterwards and I decided to make the first move by standing up and walking out of the room and made my way out of the pokecenter.

As I laid my back against the white cement wall outside of the pokecenter I thought of what had just happened. I looked on the neglected path on which Ash and I walked together to met with dawn and Kenny, I felt like the whole scene was happening all over again when I saw Dawn walking back to the pokecenter. Her face quickly replied with a worried state as she quickly ran towards me as my back slide down the cement wall of the poke center.

"May!" Dawn called out as she ran towards me.

I wanted to reply but my lips wouldn't call out those words and felt like I was talking to myself or that me acting like a deaf person that could only hear its own voice talking.

"Why are you acting so depressed?" She asked.

"I can't take it anymore Dawn!" I cried as I laid myself into her arms. "Let's just tell him already!"

"You know the reasons as well as I do, why we can't do that." Dawn quickly stated. Sounding like she was my mother. "Even I want to tell him but I know I can't."

I soon got myself together and wiped my tears away sat up with my back against the wall.

"At least you know about this only a few weeks ago. I have been holding this for more than two years." Dawn included.

"Dawn." I began as I felt my old self coming back. "What did happen in the accident that made Ash forget his memories?"

Dawn looked away from my and quickly stood up and made her way into the red and white building.

"Give me some time to gather my broken self and I shall tell you." Dawn spoke to me as she didn't look to me as she walked into the building leaving myself and the cold weather all alone.

_"If this is a dream please wake me now."_ I demanded as I wished on something I knew would never happen.

* * *

"No!" A young girl screamed as I immediately woke up and saw myself facing the wall with myself lying down in bed.

Mimi who was sleeping right next to me quickly got up and ran to the girl's aid. I quietly turned my body so I could face to where I heard the scream. I covered most of my face using the blanket that was keeping my warm with only my eyes could be only seen so that I could make the people believe I was still asleep.

"What's wrong?" Mimi asked the young girl which soon turned out to be Dawn.

"I had a nightmare of Ash's accident." Dawn replied as I could hear her breathing heavily.

"Again?" Mimi asked.

"No." Dawn quickly stated. "I haven't had a nightmare like that since Ash's accident." Dawn added as she placed her hand on her forehead. "I must have dreamt it again when May asked about the accident."

"You know she has the right to know, I mean she is his friend." Mimi responded.

"I know but I can't tell her yet." Dawn answered back as she turned her attention towards Mimi. "She won't forgive me if I told her. I don't want to lose another friend."

I continue to lie on the bed with half my face covered with sheets as a thought how bad the accident must have been that it will end up me hating her. Even I was afraid of battling her, I could never hate her. I mean an accident is a accident.

Or was it?

I quickly shook my head to get such thoughts out of my head. I had to focus on the grand festival and how Ash and I could through the appeals. As my thoughts mention the word Ash my focus on passing the appeals quickly went to the kiss Ash and I had earlier. I asked myself why I did that or why Ash didn't do anything to stop that kiss.

I was worried that event could cost us passing the appeals as my thoughts went back on what I was supposed to be focusing on. If I knew Ash well enough he would be having a hard time sleeping now or tomorrow we would have a hard time talking. Before I could read Ash like a book but now if I could read Ash now the words would be burled out and I would be having a hard time reading it.

My best decision was to sleep all my thoughts and see what tomorrow was going to throw at me. I also decided that I should just stop worrying about telling Ash about who I am in his life and just enjoy the moments I had with him.

After all, I wasn't just the only one who wants to tell somebody about a long lost hidden secret.

* * *

"Welcome to another fantastic grand festival!" Vivian cheered as the crowd cheered making us all in the backstage nervous. "Are you ready to see another unbelievable grand festival?" Vivian asked the crowd in a loud voice.

"Yeah!" The crowd cheered in their loudest voices.

"I forgot how noisy a grand festival can be." I sighed.

"Second." Drew added.

Drew and I were waiting for our partners to arrive. Even Dawn and Kenny hadn't shown up yet. I was worried about that if Ash didn't come soon I wouldn't even make a appeal.

"You nervous?" Drew asked me.

"You?" I questioned Drew.

"No." Drew quickly declared.

"Typical." I muttered as I glanced over to the hallway and saw Dawn and Kenny with Harley behind them running towards us.

Dawn had a really elegant ballroom dress as it was a much different change to her pink contest dress. She had a yellow dress with an orange belt wrapped around her waist. The bottom half of her dress started to separate as white dress underneath could be seen. Her hair was placed much higher as her ponytail was curly instead of straight. Dawn's partner, Kenny was wearing a cape and what seems to be a suit you would normally wear if you going Toro, Toro to a Tauros as he had dark green suit with yellow shoulder parts placed on his shoulders with a black belt to finish the whole outfit.

"Where's Ash?" Kenny asked the group.

"We thought he was with you guys." Drew replied. "Well this is his first grand festival. He must of acted like a Torchic and run off."

"Ash isn't a person that runs away from his dreams!" Dawn complained. "You know ash longer than I have. You should know that."

"Dawn." Drew began. "Yes I knew him longer than you and Kenny have but that doesn't mean I know him very well."

"Hmph!" Dawn simply replied in an annoyed tone.

"Now let's welcome Dawn and Kenny to the stage that comes from Twinleaf town in Sinnoh!" Vivian applauded.

"That's us!" Kenny praised in a confident manner. "Let's go Dee Dee!" Kenny added as he ran towards the entrance.

"That's really starting to get old!" Dawn complained as she tagged behind Kenny as they both ran into the stage ready to make their appeal to the judges.

I watched as the two used their pokemon. Dawn was using her Empoleon as Kenny was using his Floatzel as both did outstanding combinations. I was watching until somebody tapped me on the shoulder.

"Here, Have this." Drew said as he gave me a red rose with no thorns. I was surprised that Drew had given me a rose once again.

"You haven't given me a rose in a long time." I replied.

"Is it too late to start?" Drew asked.

"No." I smiled.

"Anyway you should look for Ash. I want to battle against you in the finals." Drew demanded.

"Don't worry you will." I replied in a determined tone of voice as I placed the rose behind my right ear as I soon was about to run out of the hallway to find Ash when I nearly forgot to say something to Drew.

"Good luck!" I cheered as I waved my hands into the air to gain their attention.

Both of them looked shocked since they both knew as much as I did that I had never cheered them up before the appeals.

"You never said that to me before." Drew replied as he started a new conversation between us.

"Is it too late to start?" I asked as I repeated the same words Drew had just told me earlier.

"No." He smiled as I smiled back and went in search for Ash.

* * *

I ran down the halls and checked every room I ran pass as I saw a small corner television in one of the rooms and saw other coordinators making their appeals. I was sure that Drew and Harley was going to make their own appeals soon which made me even more determined to find Ash, wherever he was. I was glad this time Ash and I where one of the last coordinators to make out appeals. I soon found myself out of the contest complex and looked to my right and left where Ash could be. I couldn't remember the last time I was so annoyed with Ash showing up late.

"Ash Ketchum you better show you face here soon!" I yelled hoping that would make Ash appear out of nowhere.

Soon I heard footsteps coming towards the complex. Soon I saw the person I was after and was shocked to find Pikachu on his shoulder. He was wearing his costume with Pikachu with a cute little yellow bow tie around his neck.

"I didn't know you had such a loud voice." Ash replied as held his ear showing that he heard my loud call of his name.

"Why do you have your Pikachu with you?" I asked in shock.

"I decided maybe I should bring him with me. I want him to be in the grand festival this year." Ash replied back.

"But I thought you two didn't get along." I asked once more.

"Well that's what I thought when I asked Professor Oak back in Pallet town but he said that Pikachu missed me a lot." Ash said back to me as he patted Pikachu in the head. "Right buddy?" Ash smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled.

"Anyway what happened about last night…" Ash responded. "Sorry." Ash apologized.

"It's all right." I smiled. "But right now we have to hurry to make out appeals or we won't get in!" I panicked as I grabbed Ash's hand and made him run with me back into the contest complex.

"Slow down!" Ash called out but I had to ignore it since I really wanted to get into the appeals.

"No time!" I soon responded as I saw Drew and Harley walk out of the stage showing me that they had finished their appeal. Ash and I heard Vivian call out names onto the stage and she acted like she was about to call us off the list of showing our appeals. Soon she turned towards the entrance and saw Ash and I running onto the stage.

"Well let's welcome our last two coordinators to show us their wonderful moves!" Vivian started. "May Maple and Ash Ketchum!"

"Okay time to shine Inferna…" Ash started but was interrupted when Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and on to the stage.

"Guess it's time to depend on luck." I whispered to myself. "Delcatty take the stage!" I called out as my pokemon was released from its pokeball.

"Now what?" Ash whispered to me as the Solidad and her crew of judges and Vivian and the crowd waited for us to make a move.

"I will just use Assist and you use one of Pikachu's moves that will go good with it." I whispered back.

"You rely on luck too much." Ash replied.

"Like we have a better plan." I whispered back. "Now Delcatty, use assist!" I called out.

"Delcatty!" my prim pokemon called out as it summoned rain onto the field.

"Thunder Pikachu!" Ash called out in a slight worried tone. Acting like he didn't know what he was doing.

"Use shadow ball into the thunder!" I called out to Delcatty.

Both pokemon followed our orders and as soon thunder hit Delcatty's shadow ball and soon broke into a huge fire work display. The crowd cheered on how much they seem to like the display but we knew we had to wrap up the appeal soon.

"Run around in a circle while using volt tackle!" Ash called out.

"Assist Delcatty!" I called out as I was relying on luck once more. Soon Delcatty used Silver wind right into Pikachu's volt tackle tornado making it slowly turn smaller and as soon it was gone small sparkles floated in the air showing Delcatty's and Pikachu's beauty and power.

"All right!" Ash and I both cheered as we both high fived each other. In my excitement I went to embrace Ash but was interrupted when we heard the crowd cheer on how much they loved our appeal.

"What combinations!" Vivian praised. "Now to our judges!" Vivian added on as she pointed towards the panel of judges.

"Remarkable." One of the judges commented.

"A beautiful display of electric moves and luck." Nurse joy complimented

"I haven't seen such combinations like that. Relying on luck shows how much you trust each and how big your friendship is to each other. Fantastic job." Solidad praised as she stood up and clapped and soon the other judges and the crowd applauded the two of us.

"Thank you!" Ash and I said simultaneously as we waved our hands into the air with huge smiles on our faces.

As I waved to the crowd on how glad everybody liked Ash's and I appeal I thought to myself on what Solidad told the both of us.

_"…shows how much you trust each and how big your friendship is to each other..."_

I never thought for one second before that what Solidad was true. I never thought that while hiding my true self to Ash that we were starting to trust each other and start a new bond of friendship between us.

_"Maybe starting all over isn't all bad."_ I thought to myself as Ash and I walked off the stage to join the others.

**End of chapter.**

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**Author's notes**

Thought it was time to say a few things, anyway i wanna thank all the people that bother to review this fic. it fels nice when people review fics. makes me feel happeh! = ) anway big big big advanceshipping moment, and a very sweet contestshipping one, which would have to be my fan moments thus far.

Nothing much else to say really other than this is the first time im writing on contest moves so if you got a few combos to suggest please feel free to say some and also this is the first time im writing about Kenny so if im making him to OOC please say so.

Anyway thats all from me. ^^

~midnight


	9. Chapter 9

**Shippings in this chapter:** Contestshipping, Slight Advanceshipping

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

******Chapter nine**

Ash and I soon came running into the waiting room with all our rivals waiting for the results to come in. Dawn was the only one that came to Ash and I with a huge smile across her face as she came to embrace me in a friendly way.

"What an appeal you too!" the young blue hair coordinator cheered for Ash and I. "I could never think such combinations." Dawn added with a smile.

"Thanks." Ash and I both replied.

"Now for the results!" Vivian called out as her face was shown of the television above us place on the wall. Soon blue cards appeared on the screen and choose their spots as each blue card started to flip showing on the other side on which coordinators who was going into the next round. I held my hands like somebody else was holding it and tightened by grip, praying that I would advance into the next round.

One by one they showed how was going to advance, Drew, Harley, Dawn and Kenny had already got into the next round as their faces were already shown on the screen. I wait patiently for Ash and I to get in since there were only four spots left. I closed my eyes and started to pray and opened my eyes much later and saw Ash and I had advance to the next round.

"Yes!" I cheered. "We all made it!"

"Alright!" Dawn cheered as we both did a high five together. Soon I turned around to Ash with Pikachu on his shoulder. "Right Pikachu?" I smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied as he leaped into my arms. Even Pikachu was a pokemon he to still had a heart, I knew he was just as badly affected when Ash forgot who he was. I thought to myself why Pikachu didn't greet me when we first saw each other back earlier. As much he wanted to greet me he knew he had to play along like the rest of us in the room.

"I'm glad we all got in." Kenny added as he raised he voiced slightly higher so the group could focus his attention on him.

"More like good for us and not for you rookies." Drew replied. "We have been doing this longer than you have so don't expect you going to beat us easy."

"It's the skill that counts here, not experience." Kenny replied.

"This is like watching children fighting." Mimi complained as she entered the room as she turned to Dawn, Ash and me. "Do you know who you are fighting up against yet?" Mimi asked the three of us.

"They should show the results right now." Ash replied to Mimi as we quickly looked up at the television ahead of us as we heard Vivian's voice called out of the television.

"Here are the results!" Vivian called out into her standing microphone as she showed the result of who was against whom in the next round.

Once more the blue cards move around the screen and soon took their places. When every card was still each card started to flip over showing which coordinator was up against whom. Ash and I saw our faces show up first and soon followed was Drew and Harley. The four of us turned around so we all could face each other.

I felt my heart wanted to burst out of my chest. I placed my hand over it to calm its beat down. Each time I look or let my mind think of Drew my heart starts to race.

"I can't do this." I whispered to Mimi as I turned around and faced the door.

"What do you mean?" Mimi asked as she whispered back to me.

"I can't explain it well but I think I'm afraid to verse Drew in the next round." I replied.

Mimi grabbed my arm and we both walked to the entrance of door, leaving the others talking among themselves.

"Afraid?" Mimi asked. "Drew has been your rival for more than two years and now you decided you're afraid to fight him?"

"Back then I never felt this way before." I replied.

"That means " Mimi thought to herself and soon added. "You like Drew so much that you are afraid to verse him next round."

"I " I replied but was interrupted when Mimi soon continued.

"That's bad then." Mimi added. "What if you beat Drew and Harley, Dawn and Kenny and you had to verse Ash? Would you back out? Are you afraid that there will be a time where you have to verse Ash?"

"I know but " I replied right after and thought to myself. "I'm such a coward!" I cried as I ran right out of the waiting room. 

* * *

Night soon covered the area as I sat on an old hollow tree trunk place near the edge of the river. Since the grand festival was held on the east side of Mount Silver, water could still move like as if it was on ground. I hugged myself for warmth with my arms while I was wearing my pink and green coat.

"You shouldn't be out here at this time of night." A voice called to me and I soon recognized it was Drew's.

"Like you care." I replied in an arrogant tone.

"Anybody would worry about you after you ran out of the contest hall like that." Drew added.

"Well I'm sorry I made you worried." I said right after in a sarcastic tone of voice as I moved my eyes to his direction. "Just because I acted like that doesn't mean I will go easy on you tomorrow."

"Am I only going to be seen as your rival only?" Drew asked me, a question that didn't relate to my last statement. "Well?"

I stood up and closed my eyes and opened them soon after with my answer.

"If we ever had a relationship together Drew." I began. "I think our rivalry is in the way for us to have a proper relationship." I added.

I turned around and started to make my way back when I saw Mimi running away from the pokecenter. She kept looking left and right like she didn't want to be found. She kept on running not anywhere on the east side but the west side.

"That's Mimi!" I called out to Drew and I quickly turned around to face him. "We have to follow her!"

"You sure change the way you act to people pretty fast." Drew muttered as I grabbed his hand and quickly followed Mimi to the west side of the mountain.

We tried to not move quickly through the snow or make too much noise since that it would make Mimi notice Drew and I. Soon Drew and I were heading into the west side of the mountain. The wind picked up quickly and the fog got thicker as well, we could see Mimi still ahead of us, like she knew the place well that the weather didn't seem to affect her at all. The weather got harsher that I soon felt onto my knees and saw Mimi running ahead until the fog and wind made it hard for me to see her anymore. I felt Drew's hands on my waist as he helped me get onto my feet once more.

"It's too dangerous to go any further!" Drew yelled as it was hard to hear him if he was talking in his normal tone of voice as he pointed towards a cave. "That's victory road!" Drew added. "It either leads to the elite four or the two trainers' right at the top."

"What about Mimi?" I called back. "What if she went up to verse the two trainers, we need to help her!" I added as I ran into the cave with Drew tagging along behind me.

"May, I'm more worried about you!" Drew called out as I looked back and saw like he should have kept that last sentence of his to himself.

"You care for me?" I asked in a confused tone. "Cause I " I added until we heard quick footsteps right behind Drew and I.

"Feelings are for the weak." A determined voice called above us as Drew and I turned around to face the sound. "Are you here to challenge us?"

The girl that was demanding the question to us had a brunette hair, teal top, red skirt, white hat with half a pokeball designed and place in the middle of the hat, long white socks and red shoes. I admire that she could wear such a summer outfit in an area like this.

"Answer me!" She demanded. Her voice had the tone like she has queen of the area.

"Answer us before we do." Another voice added in but was more of a boy's tone of voice.

The boy how added in had a red hat with his black hair covering most of his face with only his right eye visible, with the front with white and a gold medal piece stuck on the top right of his cap. He was wearing a red vest with the shoulders that had white and a black singlet and blue jeans with shoes to match.

"I don't want to wait any longer." The boy added as he placed a poke ball in his palm.

"We are not here for a battle!" Drew demanded. "We are here to look for my friend's friend, Mimi!"

"Looks like we got our answer." The brunette smiled with a cheeky looked place on her face.

"But that doesn't mean we would let you go." The boy laughed. "We challenge anyone we meet face to face."

I looked around me. There I was about to face one of the strongest trainers in Johto with wild weather right at the entrance and my partner was going to be my opponent tomorrow in the semi-finals in the grand festival. I sighed on the fact that my life was getting much worse, like my love life wasn't bad enough.

"Wait." The girl added. "I know these two."

"You do?" the boy in the red cap asked.

"I have heard them with the last trainers we fought. They are coordinators, not trainers. They are not worth our time."

"True." The boy added. "Coordinators are a poor excuse to be called pokemon trainers." The boy ended with a slight mocking laugh. "All they can do is make their pokemon dance on a small stage, Its entertainment, not coordinating."

"Since your coordinators we will let you pass." The girl added. "Now leave before we change our minds."

"Why you " Drew muttered while grinding his teeth together. "Mocking us like they're the best."

I grabbed Drew's hand and looked deep into his eyes.

"This isn't the time to raise your temper up Drew." I said. "Be glad they are letting us go, Lyra only got to beat three out of six of the boy's pokemon. Two of them are much harder." I suggested.

Drew nodded back in a response that he agreed to what I had just said and looked back at the two trainers mocking the two of us because we were coordinators and not pokemon trainers. Soon he looked back at me and nodded once more as a sign that it was time for us to leave.

"Hey you two!" the girl's voice called us as we looked over our shoulders to see what they want from us. "Good luck." She replied as herself and the boy disappeared right in front of us.

We both looked at each other with confused looks on our faces. Soon I looked at the weather ahead of us. The weather didn't look like it had calm down at all but instead had got much worse.

"We can't head back in this kind of weather." Drew suggested.

"But the others will worry about us." I quickly added.

"Well it was your idea to come into this place. I just came because I you dragged my here." Drew replied with a slight blush across his face.

I didn't reply but instead sighed and sat on the dry, cold cave floor. I knew he was right and we didn't have a choice but to stay in the cave for the night. I placed my hand into my green bag placed on my waist and grabbed a pokeball and there it into the air. Soon the bright light hit the ground, forming the shape of my pokemon, Blaziken. Soon Drew knew what I was doing and send out a few of his pokemon in search of object we could use to help lit up the fire. Soon Drew came back with handful of objects and I soon told my Blaziken to use Fire blast to create fire to keep Drew and I warm.

Soon the sun set behind us and night came upon us. The weather didn't change as the wind howled and enter the cave at times. My eyes were starting to close as I blinked many times to stay awake but soon I couldn't help it but to lie near the fire and close my eyes. I couldn't sleep well since my hair was in my face but was solved when something moved it out of the way.

But I was too tried to open my eyes that know who it was or what did it.

If it was either the wind or Drew.

But my heart told me it was my long lasting rival, Drew. That helped me to sleep that night much better.

**End of chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay another few words from me before you guys can start reading. firstly sorry for the late update, my 'best friend' Mr. Writers Block came back. but his gone know. yayyy. **

**And my second is that im fed up with people saying that why i made a certain ship so canon in one chapter, well my response is I HAVE REASONS WHY I DO THAT! If i made Ash and May kiss early in the story, or Drew and May stuck up on mount Silver one night or May poledanceing (that will never happen in the stry so get your hopes up) all of those and other events i have reasons behind that and its up to you guys wondering WHY?.**

**Now please leave me alone to decided with shippings will happen in each chapter, if i keep following to you guys this super hard 11+ pages each chapter will go to waste.**

**So please, let me choose what happens in each chapter, thankyou. =3**

**~midnight**

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**Shippings in this chapter:** Pearlshipping, Contestshipping, Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter ten**

_"Ash, do you love me?" __I asked in a soft voice._

_"May?" Ash replied. "Why are you asking me this?" The young pokemon trainer replied to me._

_"Please give me an answer." I begged. "I can't hide my feelings towards you anymore."_

_"I…" Ash began but was interrupted when a young girl with long blue hair came into the conversation out of nowhere._

_"Tell her." She simply demanded._

_"May." Ash began as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "I can't love you anymore."_

_"No…" I replied as my voice turned into cries of help. "Why?" I cried as I covered my face with my hands. Soon I lifted them away and saw Dawn and Ash gone from my sights as the fog around me got thicker. "Ash!" I yelled from the top of my lungs. "I'm the girl from your past, the missing girl you have been searching for; I'm the girl that has been in love with you for such a long time!" I yelled as I soon descended to my knees and cried a few more tears. And soon saw Ash ahead of me with holding Dawn's hand. With the fog so thick it felt like they were hundreds feet away from me. The fog got thicker as I saw Ash's face clearly for only a few seconds .he mouthed a few words to me that I didn't get and his eyes started to water in them and soon faded from my sights._

_"No…." I stated as I got onto my feet and ran to where Ash and Dawn were but as I did I felt like I was running around in circles since the scene wasn't changing at all. "Don't go please!" I yelled as I closed my eyes and when I opened them once more I found out I was out of a depressing nightmare and into reality._

I found around me that Mimi, Lyra and Kenny where looking down at me, I would guessed that I was lying down and must of heard me screaming help in my terrifying nightmare. I turned to my right and saw Drew right beside me. He had a slight worried look on his face but it still had the arrogant look as well.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I replied with a slight nod. "Did you guys hear anything?" I asked as I sat up and saw two people enter the cave with a blanket over their heads.

"No we didn't." Lyra replied. But those words felt they went in one ear and out the other as my eyes and my mind kept in focus of the two strangers that entered the cave and walking their way towards us. My eyes widen in shock as I found out it was Ash and Dawn holding hands like in my dream.

Was it already too late?

Was I trying to turn two ways at once?

I wiped my eyes quickly before anyone would notice. Soon I stopped when I saw Kenny's face looking a little annoyed with Ash and Dawn holding hands.

"Sorry we took awhile." Ash apologized. "We got kind of lost on our way here." Ash smiled and soon saw me on the ground. He released his grip from Dawn's and knelt down to me. "You okay?" He asked me.

I had the answer already in my mind but my lips wouldn't move to say them. I tried many times but nothing came out. I placed my hand on my head as I started to get a heavy head and my sight was going all blurry. I saw Dawn knelt down beside Ash and placed her hand on my forehead.

"We better hurry." Dawn panicked. "She has a really high fever."

"What about the semi-finals today?" Mimi asked. "May is too sick to enter."

"The…finals are…"I began as I had a hard time to think and speak. "…will be on…tonight. I will be…fine by…then." I continued as I lost my balance and fell onto my back.

I tried to sit up again but my arms lost the ability and strength to do so, I felt my friends help me onto my feet and Ash carry me onto his shoulders. My arms soon gained slight energy to wrap them around Ash's neck. My head got heavier and rested itself on Ash's shoulder. I could feel my body and mind to drift off to sleep and my lips found it to move and speak words I didn't know why I said them to begin with.

"One day I will tell you…about you and me." I whispered in a low soft voice and closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

I woke up once more in the room I was sharing with the girls. My head felt much lighter and I regain my vision. I looked around and saw the scene outside the window and saw it was still around morning.

"What happened?" I asked myself. "How did I get in here?" I added as I sat up and looked around me.

"Ash brought you here." Dawn stated as she entered into the room. "You had such a high fever. We were all worried about you."

"Sorry." I smiled. "I didn't mean to make you guys worry about me."

"It's alright. You're okay now. That's all it matters now." Dawn smiled as she turned her back on me and was ready to leave me alone to get more rest.

"Dawn." I questioned. "Why were you and Ash late and holding hands?"

Dawn still had her back facing towards me and I heard nothing for awhile that came from her lips. Her hands tighten and she looked over her shoulder.

"Can I tell you something?" She asked.

"Sure." I nodded.

"I don't know how to say this but…" the young coordinator added and soon continued. "I think im love with Ash."

I felt like my heart had just beaten its last pulse. Like a gap between the sky and earth has been created between Dawn and I. I wanted to yell that she didn't deserve him or that you had to do something with him forgetting his memory and for that she didn't deserve Ash but me. I grabbed the sheet that covered my body and clenched my fist, like I was using the sheet as a stress ball. I looked down and saw tear drops crashing onto the sheets.

I was crying once more.

I soon made myself stop and looked at Dawn. She has a confused reaction across her face. I knew that I shouldn't be acting like this, that I should be happy for Dawn and that Ash would be in good hands with Dawn and that I shouldn't be so selfish.

"I'm happy for you Dawn." I replied as I forced myself to smile.

"Thanks May." Dawn warmly smiled to me. "I'm going to go now. You should rest more for tonight."

I nodded and watched Dawn walk out of the room and close the door behind her. When I knew she was gone I wiped my eyes to make sure I wouldn't cry once more.

"I'm so stupid!" I cried as I slammed the the lamp onto the carpet, luckily it didn't break. Items from the side table also fell onto the floor. I saw two most important objects, two that I didn't expect to see.

A half pink and white contest ribbon.

And three red roses.

I stood up and knelt down and ran my fingers down the stem of the three roses and felt no thorns. And I ran the back of my fingers down the gold center piece of the Terracotta ribbon. I soon decided to pick up both items and held them close to my chest.

"Who would have guessed?" I smiled and looked at both items in my hands. "These two people would care for me so much." I looked at the three roses. I felt the soft red petals together forming such a beautiful flower. I thought deep and long as I looked at the roses.

_"May do you know what it means when a boy gives you three red roses?" Mother asked me._

_"What does it mean mommy?" I asked._

_"They stand for "I love you." She smiled._

"Drew…loves me?" I questioned myself. "Should I believe such a myth?" I thought. "This is Drew. He really never showed me any deep feelings for me."

_"And do you know what it means when you share one half with other person?" My mother added._

_"What?" I asked._

_"Well if that person keeps it until you meet again that means that you are very important to that person and he remembers everything you had shared with them."_

"Well Ash did keep it. He kept our memories until the accident but after that he still kept it find the missing girl because she is important to him." I answered myself and soon a smiled grew on my face.

* * *

It's coming back to me.

The tension of fear building up inside of you.

The sweat and negative thoughts building up into your mind. Making you want to quit and back out.

And making you live with the guilt for the rest of your life.

I don't want to go through that again.

I opened my eyes and saw myself standing the the hallway and in front of me was a rich red curtain covering the entrance, hiding the contestants like myself. I walked over quietly and made a gap big enough for to peek and see what was happening around me. I saw every seat in the stands full with people in every age; from young to old. I even saw Mimi looking around herself and wondering when the event was going to start. Soon I saw Vivian enter the stage from another entrance. From the moment she walked on the crowd cheered her name and a few wolf whistles. I closed the gap and walked away and laid my back once again on the wall.

"Not again." I told myself. "I'm getting nervous all over again."

"Same here." Drew added as I saw him walked down the hallway with Harley behind him. Soon he turned to me and soon asked. "Glad your okay because I really want to battle against you."

"Typical Drew." I thought to myself and smiled as I sweat dropped in response. Soon my mind thought of a question that I wanted to ask Drew. "Oh by the way." I begun. "Why did you give three roses yesterday?"

"Why do you ask?" Drew asked.

"It's well you normally give me one and…" I replied as I felt my face go red in the embarrassment my question I was about to ask. "You do know what three roses mean when you give them to somebody?"

"Well…um…I…" Drew answered back as his face went red also by the questioned I asked. Harley just stood behind with his back turned. My best guess he wanted to hear what we were talking and mock us later. "I do know what it means May." Drew soon replied after thinking of a response for a long amount of time.

"Did you give them to me for the reason?" I asked once more.

Another blush quickly went across his face as he shifted his eyes away from mine and his scratched his head. I knew he was trying to avoid my question. I stopped leaning on the wall and got really close to Drew that we could see the colour of our eyes.

"Well?" I asked and I soon found out how close I was to Drew and also shifted my eyes away from him. "Sorry." I apologized. "I shouldn't pressure you about things like this." As I turned around to find Ash, I saw him already there with Pikachu on his shoulder. He had a surprised and shocked look on his face. I was guessing that he had heard what Drew and I had talked about. He saw me looking towards him and quickly wiped it away with one of his warm smiles. I waved back and smiled back at Ash, and soon after I looked back at Drew who was following Harley who was already making their way to the stage. Drew looked over his shoulders.

"I only gave them to you for only one reason." He stated and and walked out of the hallway and onto the stage with Harley.

"I know what three roses mean when you give them to somebody special to them." Ash added as he walked to me and stood beside me. Soon he looked to me. "It stands for I love you."

_"I love you."_

It felt like Ash said those words for me only. My heart skipped a few beats. I felt feelings like I did with Drew. I just wanted to smile and embrace Ash.

"I love you too." I replied.

"You love me?" Ash asked in a confused manner.

"I mean I love you that you are my partner." I smiled as embarrassment covered my face with a blush of red. "Now let's go and get into the semi-finals!" I cheered as I tried to forget what I just told Ash.

"Yeah." Ash smiled as he grabbed my hand and made me stop in my tracks as I looked into Ash's eyes. "Together."

"I…I…" I replied but my mind couldn't think of anymore words to finish my sentence. Ever since Ash forgotten about his old self I was beginning to find a new side of him, he started think think about love which I never saw in him before, feelings to other people close to him and determination to find the missing pieces of himself, more than I ever saw him when I was travelling with him once before in my early days of coordinating.

_"They may lose something they once had but they will always gain something new and that is what we must find out."_

"Guess Mimi was right in the end after all." I thought to myself as I smiled back at Ash and we both walked onto the stage.

Together.

**End of chapter**


	11. Chapter 11

**Just wanted to reply to my reviews by updating my fic and posting a new chapters, its more easier that way.**

**To most thanks for teh reviews. glad you like att the advanceshippness. enjoy while it lasts. xDDDD**

**To reviewer DFK, if Dawn and Drew had a kid together, i think they won't have turqious hair, it would be awesome if it they did, funny at the same times as well.**

**And before i end, i won't put the next chapter until next week maybe. **

**~midnight**

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**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter eleven**

"Glaceon Ice Beam now!" I commanded as I pointed towards Drew's Flygon.

"Use Flamethrower at that ice beam Flygon!" Drew replied to his dragon and ground type pokemon.

"Needle Arm onto Garchomp Cacturn!" Harley called to his own pokemon.

"Intercept with Dragon Claw Garchomp!" Ash yelled.

Glaceon opened its mouth as a teal colour ball started to expand in its mouth and within seconds it quickly flashed into a thick teal beam aiming to Drew's Flygon as it opened its own mouth and released a scorching fire type attack. Both moves collided and created sparks when the both ran into each other. Soon both of our pokemon couldn't take it and stopped their attacks and both just glared each other in the eyes, I even heard Glaceon growl at Drew's Flygon. Both our points when down but it wasn't a lot for us to both worry about.

After that Harley's Cacturn started to gain speed as it was ready to land a melee attack on Ash's Garchomp. Cacturn got so close but Ash's Garchomp still didn't use Dragon Claw on him yet. I wanted to yell at Ash so wake him up to do at least something.

"Now Garchomp!" Ash yelled. "Use it now!"

Ash's Garchomp lowered its arms and released it and collided with Cacturn's needle arm attack. Both where pushing each other forward and back with the arms still together, soon Ash's Garchomp found the power inside and pushed Cacturn back. Reducing Drew and Harley's points and making Ash and I in the lead.

"Alright." We both cheered.

"It's not over yet." Harley added with a confident tone in his voice. "Sandstorm!"

Soon out of nowhere a sandstorm quickly covered the stage. It didn't seem to bother any other pokemon other than my own Glaceon. It was so strong that Glaceon had a hard time to keep its own eyes open.

"Flamethrower again Flygon!" Drew called out.

Flygon opened its mouth once more and released a powerful flamethrower right at my Glaceon. I could heat Glaceon scream of pain when the fire attack landed on her.

"Glaceon!" I cried. _"If this keeps up, Glaceon won't last long." _I thought to myself and I turned to Ash and he looked back.

"It's best if you use Hail so at least Glaceon will be able to attack." Ash suggested.

"Yeah." I nodded and looked back at Glaceon. "Hail now Glaceon!" I commanded.

Glaceon soon flicked its eyes open and was surprised when Harley's Cacturn was about to use Fire punch on Glaceon. Glaceon quickly slide to dodge the attack and was now right side by side, right next to Garchomp. Soon Glaceon used the attack and hail replaced the viscous sandstorm that once covered the stage. Drew and Harley looked like that didn't mind their pokemon getting hit by the hail falling onto them.

"Protect Cacturn!" Harley commanded.

"And now use Earthquake." Drew added.

A light transparent shield covered Cacturn as Flygon flew up into midair and was quickly going to land onto the ground.

"Glaceon jump onto Garchomp's back!" I quickly called out.

"Now run up to Flygon and Cacturn using Dragon Claw quickly!" Ash added as he knew that Flygon was about to use Earthquake on both our pokemon.

Garchomp quickly ran up and soon its feet started to leave the ground as its claws started to glow white. Garchomp stretched its arms out and held them in a "X" position, like if was about to use X-scissor. And before Cacturn could reply with an attack Garchomp had already attack it with a powerful Dragon Claw. Cacturn got strikes right at the chest. Cacturn tried to stand on its feet but couldn't hold the pain and soon fainted. I could hear the crowd go "Oooh, Ahhh" at each move we decided to take. Even Vivian couldn't help but to join and add ad few of her comments behind.

"Jump into the air and use Ice Beam right at Flygon." I added.

Glaceon jumped into the air and was once again read to unleash a powerful ice beam attack when suddenly Drew told his pokemon to use Shadow Claw right onto Glaceon. Flygon's speed was faster that mine own so it was the first one to strike. Glaceon was falling onto the ground but before it did, Glaceon was able to release Ice beam before it did. My eyes filled with water when I saw Glaceon hit the stage hard. I saw how hard Glaceon tried to get up but soon fainted. Now it was a one on one battle with Ash's Garchomp and Drew's Flygon. I looked up and saw Drew's Flygon had ice covered on its left wing. Flygon soon decided to land on the ground since half its wing was covered in ice.

"It's up to you know Ash." I muttered as I returned Glaceon into its pokeball.

"I promise I won't let us…I mean you down." Ash smiled.

"Thank you." I replied and added a smile at the end.

"Now then." Ash begun. "Let's win this by using Dragon Claw once more!" Ash told his pokemon.

"Do the same Flygon!" Drew added.

As both pokemon ran up to each other I looked up onto the clock and saw the timer had just got into two minutes and that the points were dead even. Fears started to enter my mind that we weren't going to pass and beat Drew and Harley. Two of my most powerful rivals I have been fighting against since I started this career. I looked back and saw both pokemon fighting hard; it was more of a test of strength rather who was going into the next round.

"Flamethrower right into Garchomp's face." Drew commanded.

And right after that Flygon obeyed to Drew's calling and used the fire type move right into Garchomp's face which made it close its eyes, that gave the advantage to Flygon and right after Flygon used Shadow Claw right onto Garchomp, both moves reduced our points and with only under a minute left.

"Garchomp!" Ash cried as he saw his dragon pokemon as it got hit badly. "We can't lose now!" Ash called out to his pokemon, encouraging it not to give up. Lucky it worked and it made Garchomp determined not to lose.

"Dragon breath now Flygon." Drew commanded his own pokemon.

"Dodge it and use Sword Dance." Ash added.

Flygon used Dragon breath right after but Garchomp dodged the attack and soon started to spin in circles showing he was using Sword Dance. I looked upon the clock once more and only had thirty seconds remaining and our points were still behind. I looked into Ash and saw how focused he was.

_"What are you up to Ash?" _I asked myself and watched the battle once more.

"Draco Meteor!" Ash yelled to Garchomp as it had just finished using Sword Dance. It opened its mouth and soon created a reddish orange ball, Garchomp aimed right at Flygon and the ball headed its way but since it was slow flygon could easily dodge the attack, so Garchomp used one of its claws to hit the ball and made smoke cover the area. Most of the crowd laughed and some went quite.

"Stupid. " Drew mocked.

"Really?" Ash asked in a confident tone. "Now Garchomp, do it once more!"

Flygon looked around its area but couldn't see Garchomp around and neither did I. Soon Garchomp appeared right above Flygon with a reddish orange ball in it mouth and soon used Draco Meteor right into Flygon's face. The smoke got thicker and the timer went off, telling the four of us that the match was over. Everybody in the stage waited for the smoke subsided and when it did all of us were shocked with the result.

"And the winners are Ash and May!" Vivian called out to the crowd. Soon the crowd cheered right after Vivian called out the winners.

"We did it…" I smiled and looked at Ash. Water grew in my again, but they weren't tears of sadness, but joy. I finally was able to get into the semi-finals. I looked at Ash and he gave a sigh of relief that we got into the semi-finals. We both knew how hard the battle was against Drew's and Harley's pokemon. I embraced Ash in joy and started to cry tear of joy.

"We did it." I cried in tears of joy and soon looked right into Ash's face. It had a huge smile on it as well.

"Yes we did." He smiled. "Together we will get into the finals."

"Yes…Together." I smiled as I quickly gave him a quick peck on the cheek, hoping nobody would see it. I smiled and soon saw that a red blush across his face. It was only now did I realize that my heart had found its source to beat a pulse everyday with a reason with each one. My confidence suddenly grew in me; I had my old self once more. I didn't know how long it would last but I thought it was time to use it while it lasted. I mouthed a few words which expressed how I felt towards Ash. I could see Ash reacted with shock but soon smiled. He mouthed words back and smile with me.

Soon we stopped embracing each other and walked onto the stage with Drew and Harley. Harley looked a little annoyed but Drew had a smile on his face, not a happy one but a satisfied one instead, like he enjoyed battling. The last time Drew and Ash battled against each other was early back in Hoenn.

"Ash." Drew begun as he got his hand out in a position of a handshake. "I haven't had a battle like that for a long time. I was glad I was able to battle with you, even we lost, I was glad all of us gave it our all." Drew added.

"Yeah." Ash replied as he accepted the handshake. The crowd cheered once more as the four of us looked at each other with acceptance that the battle we all witness was a great one indeed.

I gaze at the endless night sky, its colour stretching many miles far from me. Its stars in many shapes and colours scattered across the thick night blue sky, the wind gently blowing across my face and through my hair. I had a smile across my face. It didn't seem to fade away since Ash and I got into the semi finals. I was in the room I was sharing with the rest of the girls, I was all alone as the other girls were somewhere around the poke center. I heard a knock on the door which interrupted my admiration of the night garden in front of me. I turned around and saw Ash. I was confused why he was here since we didn't have any plan until tomorrow morning.

"Ash?" I asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to know what you said to me earlier." He replied.

"I said thank you." I smiled.

"Oh…" Ash said in rather disappointment.

"Why did I say anything wrong?" I asked.

"I just want to talk to you about something and _someone._" Ash stated as he stood by the door. "It's about Dawn."

"Dawn?" I asked. I thought to myself if it was time to spill my secret with Dawn and tell him that she liked him too. But instead I decided to keep quiet about it.

"I had been having deep feelings about somebody close to me. And I don't know how to say it to her."

"Feelings? As in love?" I asked in confusion.

"Ah…umm. Sort of like that." Ash quickly replied as he looked at the hallway making sure nobody could hear the conversation.

I laughed and soon added. "So who is the lucky girl?" and soon Ash came next to me and sat by my side. He pulled out a white rose from behind his back. The white rose sparkled with glimmer of hope and happiness.

"Would you believe me if that girl was you?" He asked.

I couldn't help but to grow a blush right across my face with embarrassment. My heart was beating so fast I felt it was ready to beat right out of my chest. My best guess it was ready to catch up with reality. I couldn't think or speak any words to reply, I wanted somebody to pinch me if this was a dream.

"Yes." I stated. "I believe I am." I smiled as I closed my eyes and soon opened them and out I was all alone once more. "Guess it was a dream after all." I sighed and looked outside. "I dream way too much." Soon a heard a knock once more on my door, I looked over my shoulder and saw it was Ash. I sighed that my dream was coming true and that this was going to be a long cycle of rejection.

"Hey." Ash greeted. "Great job with Glaceon." Ash complimented.

"Same with your Garchomp." I replied. "I didn't know you raised your pokemon so well."

"Oh yeah. I forgot to ask. What did you _really _say earlier?" Ash asked.

"I said thank you." I replied in an annoyed tone.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Fine. Just tried." I lied. I was annoyed that Ash asked me the same question even the first one was only in a dream.

"Well you better rest. You know who we are up against tomorrow."

"Yeah." I nodded. "Goodnight Ash." I replied.

"Same to you." Ash replied as he walked out of the room and I followed only to close the door behind him. We waved to each other as he went to his room. When I closed the door I heard a soft object fall onto the floor. I turned around and found a white rose lying on the floor. Just like my day dream earlier. I picked it up and it had the sparkled with glimmer of hope and happiness, like in my dream. I could smell its pleasant scent. I closed my eyes and soon open them and saw the white rose still placed in my hands.

Then suddenly I thought back at when Ash and I advanced to the semi-finals. I quickly opened the door and looked down the hallway and saw Ash was gone. My best guess he went into his room.

_"I said thank you."_

My mind thought the words I said towards Ash. If I said thank you, then what did Ash say back to me?

Did he say thank you as well?

Or was it the words I thought was impossible for him to say?

**End of chapter**


	12. Chapter 12

**Welcome readers! From now on i will reply to reviews this way. makes things easier for me. Now its up to you if you want to read them or not.**

**Stargazer: **Well you have to read this chpater to find out. =P

**Glameowgirl **So many people hate me for that part, the whole dream part, even on deviantart. some people say it was good and some said that i ruined a good moment. im guess who said that are obessed advanceshippers. or maybe im just begin sterotypical here. xD

**KickAss **Yay, glad you like it. i got the idea from a asain soap over cable. its a good show as well. heavy drama. rofl.

**Geny **Thankyou and im sure your not the only one who wanted May to say "I love you." instead of "Thankyou." and yes May dreams atoo much, i have to get off that so i won't bored you guys. xD

**Gerbil **Lololol, then i think you will kill me later after a few chapters times, wait, maybe all the advancershippers will...shit. And thanks, glad you like the dream as well.

**LucfierXII **My best friendddd, where are you? I miss your reviews.

Okay that's it, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to R&R. thankyou. =3

**~midnight**

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**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping. Contestshipping, Slight Pearlshipping

**Rating:** M?

**Chapter twelve**

_"Pilpup use Bubblebeam!" Dawn called out to her water type pokemon._

_"Pil!" Pilpup replied as it opened its beak and started to spin its body around in circles released a huge amount of bubbles._

_"Dodge and use Secret power Glaceon!" I commanded to my newest evolved pokemon._

_ Glaceon replied and started to run up to get speed and soon it's body started to glow pink and with the speed it gained by running up before, Glaceon landed a powerful melee attack right on Pilpup. Pilpup slid on the ground from the attack and soon got up quickly but had a hard time to stand up. I knew right after than secret power just didn't did damage on Pilpup but also paralyzed it. Dawn's points decreased with only four minutes and fifteen seconds remaining._

_ Glaceon and I didn't waste any more time and I soon called out to Glaceon to use the move Ice shard right at Pilpup while it was still paralyzed after the last attack we did on it. Pilpup covered its face as Ice shards landed on it. Now the timer had just under four minutes left as Dawn's points decreased even more._

_"Roll into the water!" Dawn quickly replied, knowing that her Pilpup was in trouble._

_"Pil." Pilpup nodded as it forced its small body to roll into the water._

_ Glaceon landed where Pilpup once was and glared and waited for Pilpup to come out as our friends waited for the next move by the stands. Soon Pilpup jumped out of the water and that was sign that Pilpup was cured from paralyzed we landed on it. Dawn called out to Pilpup while it was still in midair to use whirlpool while Glaceon got into a position as if it was ready to pounce on Pilpup. Pilpup opened its beak once more and released a huge whirlpool, I was amazed on how Pilpup could control such a huge whirlpool and its water control as well. Soon Pilpup moved its arms forward towards Glaceon and soon the huge whirlpool was heading our way._

_"Mirror coat now Glaceon!" I yelled._

_"Glaa." Glaceon simply replied as its body started to glow an orange aura around it._

_ The whirlpool made a direct hit on mirror coat. Glaceon withstand its power and returned towards Pilpup with the power times two, dealing even more damage. Pilpup's whirlpool attack went straight back to it and the small water type pokemon bounced back to its trainer, Dawn. Pilpup quickly got up and it didn't look very pleased. Dawn called out it to use bubble beam once more as it was running towards us. The attack landed on Glaceon before I could think a move to either dodge it or intercept it. My points went down as I looked up at the clock and only saw that 3 minutes was nearly up._

_"Shadow ball Glaceon!" I called out._

_"Spin and dodge Pilpup!" Dawn quickly replied._

_ Glaceon opened its mouth and released a ghost type attack that had the colours of black and purple on it and shaped of a ball and right at Pilpup's direction but Pilpup jumped up and spin and dodge the attack, like Dawn told it should do._

_"Great move." I complimented Dawn as I looked down and saw a puddle of water. "But now I will take that water!" I called out. "Secret power!" I added. _

_ Pilpup landed right on the puddle of water and Glaceon once more and landed a direct attack on Pilpup. I chose to use secret power on water since it could include sleep, if not, it was just like using tackle. Dawn lost even more points as the countdown of two minutes begun. Dawn called out to Pilpup to spin in the air and land on the ground. Pilpup agreed and spin in the air before landing onto the stage once more._

_"Shadow ball once more!" I told my Ice type pokemon._

_ Glaceon followed my orders and released shadow ball into the air and Glaceon jumped and hit the ball with its own paws to gain more speed and power._

_"Destroy it with Bubblebeam!" Dawn added._

_"Pil!" Pilpup replied as it released more bubbles to eliminate Glaceon's shadow ball. A few of the bubbles soon surrounded my Glaceon and started to attack it._

_"Now use peck!" Dawn added._

_"Dodge it!" I quickly stated. "Now use Ice shard!"_

_"Use Whirlpool as a shield!" Dawn yelled._

_ Pilpup quickly used whirlpool of avoid getting hit from Ice shard. The move work and ice shard didn't land at Pilpup at all. I lost a few more points as now the timer showed there was only less than a minute left. Dawn commanded her only water type to use whirlpool once more and ride on it. I told my Glaceon to use Shadow ball on it but Dawn told Pilpup to jump off quickly. Soon the ghost type attack hit the whirlpool without Pilpup on it. Water lifted up from the stage covering where Pilpup was and before I knew where it was Pilpup came through it and use Bubblebeam right on Glaceon. I continued to lose more points as there was only forty five seconds left on the clock._

_ I repeated my words as I told Glaceon to use shadow ball, hoping my plan would work. Dawn countered with making Pilpup use peck on the attack. I smiled as my plan had worked .the ball spread into a thick wall of purple as I knew Dawn and Pilpup would stand there, thinking of what to do next._

_"Ice shard!" I quickly demanded._

_ Soon shards of ice came through the wall and I heard Pilpup voice which told me it was a direct hit. Dawn's lost points from the attack with only thirty five seconds left. We both complemented each other and soon Dawn made the first move of using whirlpool once more. I knew that one more move would do the trick, so I commanded my Glaceon to use mirror move, but this time I saw Glaceon struggle and soon Glaceon gave up and both Pilpup and Glaceon got hit. Both pokemon landed at our feet as the timer stopped. We both looked up and saw the results. Vivian called out the name of the winner._

_ And the name that was called wasn't mine, but Dawn's._

_ Dawn had a huge reaction when she won, like she couldn't believe that she beat somebody who had been doing coordinating longer than her. Glaceon sighed in disappointment and I walked over to her and patted it to cheer Glaceon up._

_"It's alright." I started. "You did great."_

_ And soon we both said congratulation each other and I soon left the stage to get changed. As I walked into my room and sat on the chair and started to cry, I kept telling myself that I should be glad that Dawn won but inside of me told me differently._

_"It should if been me." I muttered and soon thought for awhile. "I shouldn't be thinking like this." I told myself as I wiped my tears away. "I shouldn't think so selfish. Dawn won it fair and square."_

_"You did great out there." A voice congratulated me. I looked over my shoulder and saw it was Ash standing near the door with Pikachu on his shoulder._

_"Did you hear what I just said?" I asked._

_"All of it." Ash replied. "But it's alright to think like that. I mean when we lost sometimes we feel like it should have been us that should have won." Ash added as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Don't be so mean on yourself."_

_"Even since I went to Johto by myself, winning contest started to become a blur to me." I stated. "So I thought coming here and seeing you and Brock might give me the confidence I need to start winning again."_

_"May." Ash begun as I looked and turned around to face him. "I still think you're great even if you win or lose."_

_"Really?" I asked as I stood up as a felt happiness and joy growing inside of me that I couldn't hold it anymore and soon embraced Ash. "Thank you." I added. "I'm so glad I have a friend like you around."_

_"I'm glad I have a friend like you around as well May." Ash added as he embraced me as well. _

I opened my eyes and looked around and saw I was in bed. Lyra and Dawn were fast asleep in their own beds. I saw Mimi walk in ready to sleep as well. She had a curious face on why I was awake.

"You okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine." I replied as I stood up from bed and got my pink and green coat from the coat hanger.

"Where are you going?" Mimi asked.

"I'm going to get something to eat." I replied as I opened my yellow backpack and pulled out two instant noodle packs. "I will be back soon. Don't wait for me." I asked to Mimi and she soon replied with a simple nod and went to bed as I walked out.

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"Here." I said as I handed Ash a mug of instant noodles who was sitting outside the pokecenter on a bench.

"Thanks." Ash replied as he accepted the mug as I soon sat right next to Ash. "You know this is my favorite food."Ash said to break the silence between us.

"I know." I replied in my thoughts and soon broke out and acted like I never knew. "Really?" I asked in shock, pretending I never knew. "It's my favorite food as well." I smiled and soon silence grew between us once more. I soon decided that maybe this was a good time to ask or tell Ash about his past and that I was the missing girl from his past. "Ash, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" he asked back.

"What if I was the missing girl from your past? How would you react?"

Ash replied in silence and looked up at the starry night sky, with each star glowing at different rates, some brighter than the others while others started to fade away and disappearing into the thick blue night sky. Ash soon looked back and me before replying to my question.

"I would be angry at you for not telling me earlier." Ash answered back.

"But do you ever think why I would hide the truth from you for such a long time?" I asked as I felt myself getting angry but soon calmed myself down and continued. "I mean if I told you when we first met, you wouldn't believe me. I knew the risks that were involved each day that past. I mean imagine that pain I could be holding, imagine how hard it would be not telling you earlier. Have you tried to think how badly I would have wanted to tell you that I was the girl from your past?"

"But did you ever think how I would deal with it? A person that really means a lot to me hides the truth from me a day longer. When I think about it now, it feels like you're only protecting yourself and hiding longer for not telling me." Ash replied back to me.

"But the question is will you believe me? Will you trust me and will the friendship we share now will be the same after I tell you?" I asked.

Ash didn't reply right after and silence grew around us once more. I had enough with talking with Ash and made me upset. If only I had the courage to tell him I was that girl we were talking about. He doesn't know the fear that grows inside of me each day. He doesn't know that what I'm doing isn't for me but my friends as well. They knew that sending Ash to Johto was their last option.

They wanted the old Ash as much as I did.

I soon started to make my way into the pokecenter when I heard words coming from Ash's lips.

"My question is do you know how it feels to live in a world you don't know that you once knew?" Ash asked.

That question made me stop in my own tracks and made me close my eyes and sighed afterwards. I soon open them once more with my answer.

"Yes." I replied and walked into the white and red building.

As I walked into the building I didn't hear any footsteps or word begin muttered through his lips. My best guess was that he was thinking more to himself about the conversation we just had. I walked a few steps more until I was near Drew's room. I saw the door was open and peeks through and saw a bag full of items. I pushed the door more and saw Drew was already packing his stuff. I knew what that meant.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Just making sure that my answer in my head was wrong.

"I'm going back home." Drew replied back to me as he zipped his bag up. He looked at me and saw that I felt sad for him going. I knew I shouldn't act like a little girl and his father leaving. Normally I was happy when Drew was leaving.

But this time it was different.

"Can you please not go?" I asked which was more of a beg than a question.

"Not go?" Drew asked in confusion. "Why?" He added as his threw his bag over his shoulder.

"Because..." I begun and thought for awhile and soon answered. "I need you."

"May..." Drew asked but the question soon faded. "What happened?"

"I nearly told Ash who I was to him." I responded. "I asked what would happen if I told him and he said he would be angry." I looked at the ground and wiped my eyes. "Is not telling Ash not who I am a bad thing? Am I beginning to be a bad friend to him and to the others by lying for the right reasons?" I asked as I felt water run down my cheeks and was about to wipe them away when Drew dropped his bag and walked to me and held my hand and stopped me.

"Sometimes people do the wrong things for the right reasons, but that doesn't make them a bad person." Drew replied. "Guess I should stay awhile longer until the grand festival is over. I think you still need a friend around."

"Thank you." I replied as I embraced Drew and soon Drew did the same to me.

* * *

"Ahhh, my hair is in a mess!" Dawn panicked as she quickly grabbed a brush and brushed her hair even more.

"Dawn there really isn't any need to panic." I sweat dropped. "We are meant to make our pokemon shine, not ourselves." I added.

"Still." Dawn quickly replied as she was too focused making herself look good than listen to me.

"That's Dee Dee." Kenny teased. Dawn quickly looked at him and growled at him. I laughed at how the two treated each other. Kenny laughed as well and we both soon decided to leave and wait for her in the hallway. I patted my head and soon found out that I forgot to put my ribbon on my head. I told Kenny that I would meet with him later as I walked back to get my ribbon I left in Dawn's room but was it interrupted when I heard Ash and Dawn talking to each other.

"You look unhappy." Dawn asked in a much calmer tone than the last time I checked with her.

"I had a talk with May last night about the missing girl in my past. After we talked I felt guilty because I think I made her sad." Ash responded back.

"I know May well enough to say that she isn't that type of person to be angry at somebody for a long time." Dawn replied back.

"And it made me think what I said to her. It made me think if she said the same back to me." Ash said as he begun a new conversation.

"What did you say to her?" Dawn asked.

I peeked through the small gap of the door and saw a blush right across his face.

"Would you say the same words to me if I was in May's position?" Dawn asked in a more serious tone of voice.

Ash didn't reply but instead had a brighter blush across his face, brighter than the last one.

Soon my thoughts started to wonder once more and remember when I first met Ash for the first time in Johto.

_"And Dawn?" I asked. "How much does she mean to you?"_

_"She's a very close friend to me." Ash blushed and looked away from me. "But she has being acting strange around me lately and I have being having a hard time talking to her."_

_"You love her don't you?" I asked out of nowhere, discontinuing the flow of the conversation. My voice soon became depressed and a sound of a whisper after that._

_"Love is too complicated to talk about now and the grand festival is tomorrow." Ash replied as he tried to avoid my question and avoid eye contact with me._

My mind felt fresh as the memory started to fade from my mind. I remembered that Ash had a small crush on Dawn and Dawn had strong feelings for Ash.

And what about me?

Was there any room left in Ash's heart for me?

"Dawn I care about you a lot but do you have to ask a question like that right now?" Ash asked.

"Yes." Dawn replied as I saw her look towards Ash's direction. "I'm feeling that I'm starting to lose you Ash."

"You will never lose me Dawn." Ash replied to make Dawn fade away from the negative thoughts she was thinking as he grabbed her hand. "Now we should head back to the others." Ash suggested.

"Sure." Dawn nodded. "But before that, what you said to me, I want you to prove it to me."

"Prove whaa..." Ash questioned but was interrupted when Dawn laid her own lips right onto Ash's. Ash had a shocked expression on his face that instead of surrendering into the kiss he broke it my placing his hand on Dawn's shoulder and pull her apart from his. He pushed her so hard that it made him fall onto the floor with his back leaning on the wall. "Dawn!" Ash yelled in shock. "What was that for?" Ash added.

"Oh my!" Dawn said as she covered her face in shame. "I'm so sorry Ash!" Dawn apologized. "I...I didn't mean that. I'm so sorry." Dawn repeated.

Ash continued to sit on the floor with still a shocked reaction on his face. It soon turned into a serious look as he pushed himself off the floor and looked right at Dawn.

"I'm sorry too." Ash replied back as he walked out of the room and soon bumped into me. I fell onto the floor and so did Ash. Dawn heard the sound and soon came over and saw Ash and I on the floor, facing opposite to each other. I didn't know what came over me but I didn't have the time to face or talk to Ash and I quickly got up and ran away from the two. I heard Ash call my name but I didn't care because I felt my heart burning with rage.

"He kissed her, he kissed her!" Were the words that ran through my mind as I ran into an empty room that I never saw before. I looked around and saw another door and tried to open it was a pulled the door knob so hard that my hands started to go red.

_"I can't face him right now."_ My thoughts said as I tried to open the door. _"Why am I acting like this?" _I asked myself. _"I never acted like this before. Why now?"_ I asked myself as I kept on questioning myself into more confusion.

"May..." Ash called my name as he found me the the small room that was darker than the rest.

"Go away!" I screamed in anger. Knowing that nobody would hear since we were far away from anybody else.

"No!" Ash yelled back. "I'm not leaving you like this!"

"You kissed Dawn. You should be with her and not me." I cried.

"Correction." Ash begun. "She kissed me."

"I...I don't care!" I yelled. "You like her, not me." I replied as I soon found a way to calm myself down.

Ash walked closer to me and held my hand and wiped my tears away and smiled. He brushed my fringe and fixed it and clipped my orange ribbon onto my right side of my hair. I wanted to push Ash away so I could keep running away and ready to deal with my problems by myself. But my heart told me not to. Soon when Ash finished putting the orange ribbon into my hair he looked into my eyes.

"Do you want to know what I said to you when we beat Drew and Harley in the semi-finals?" Ash asked in a calm manner. I didn't have anything to reply so he continued. "I said that I like you." He smiled.

My rage and anger of Ash begin kissed by Dawn faded away so that I couldn't feel it anymore. My heart started to race and skipped a few beats at it. I stopped crying and I smiled right at Ash. When I stopped I saw him holding three white roses. I got out my hands and accepted one of the roses.

"I..." I begun as I took other rose from Ash. "Love..." I added and took the last one. "You." I smiled and soon added. "Too."

We both laughed and smiled and looked right into each other's eyes.

"Sorry for the way I was acting." I apologized.

"It's okay. I can understand." Ash replied as my held my hand slightly tighter. "We should go now."

"Yeah." I nodded. "Together."

Ash laughed slightly and soon I joined afterwards.

"Together." Ash replied with a warm smile as we both walked out of the room and ready to fight against Dawn and Kenny.

Together at last.

**End of chapter. **


	13. Chapter 13

Okay since everybody review is pretty similar, i will explain in one go. I haven't wrote yet if Ash already knows about May's past of find out yet, i will come to that conculsion soon enough.

Now my explanation of my dissapearance of two weeks, lets see, where to start, i know! it started with my internet cutting off for one week, had to work on my pokemon manga on deviantART, had writers block for a few days, was stuck at one part on the chapter, had to check for mistakes.

Okay thats it. and at the end of the chapter i will post a little of the next chapter, to prove im not dead or not writing this fanfiction.

**~midnight**

**

* * *

**

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping, Pearlshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter thirteen**

I close my eyes and hear the roar of the crowd cheering me on. I open my eyes and see the stage was already set. In front of me was my best friend and rival, Dawn with her partner Kenny and next to me was Ash. The person I cared about the most and deeply enough to say that I love him. I didn't want to think when I would confess who I am to Ash at that time. Even confessing that I liked Ash made me feel better and regain myself to think more clearly I still needed to find the courage inside of me to confess to Ash one more secret.

Also not only that, the fact that I was about to verse against my best friend scared me. I closed my eyes once more and remember the words my friends told about me. That I shouldn't be afraid to fight against my friends. As long I do my best. That is all that really counts.

"SpotlightTyphlosion!" Dawn called out as she threw her fire type's pokeball into the air and a white light was released from it and landed onto the stage with fire surrounding it and soon the white light formed into Dawn's fire type pokemon.

"Breloom let's go!" Kenny called out soon after and he two did the same as Dawn and soon two pokemon where standing right in fro not Ash and me.

"Who are we going to send out?" I whispered to Ash.

"Oh yeah, we didn't really discuss about this did we?" Ash sweat dropped.

"Thanks for the news flash Ash." I replied in a sarcastic tone and soon looked at Dawn's and Kenny's pokemon. "They both have strong pokemon. If we lose at least we given all we got. Right Ash?" I winked.

"Yup." Ash replied with a nod. "Let's see what we can do together." Ash added and soon continued. "Staraptor time to shine!"

"Munchlax take the stage!" I called out as I threw my pokeball into the ground and soon Staraptor and Munchlax where on the field.

"Mach punch Breloom!" Kenny called out.

"Quick attack Typhlosion!" Dawn added.

Both attacks that Dawn and Kenny released were too fast to be intercepted or dodged so both our pokemon where hit, and soon after both Staraptor and Munchlax got their balance back and it was our time to attack.

"Metronome Munchlax!" I commanded.

Munchlax waved his fingers in the air as they both started to glow. Soon Munchlax had a transparent screen over him. My best guess it was the move counter but it was useless if no physical attack landed on Munchlax. I looked over to Ash and nodded to say it was his turn. Ash nodded back and called out to Staraptor to fly into the sky and quickly landed on Munchlax, treating Munchlax like a bowling ball and Typhlosion and Breloom where the pins. Staraptor did what Ash told it to do and hit Munchlax and was heading right into Dawn's and Kenny's pokemon.

"Use the power from Staraptor and use it for Focus punch!" I yelled.

Munchlax arms started to glow and before we all knew it, Munchlax landed a powerful focus punch on both Typhlosion and Breloom, reducing Dawn's and Kenny's points with four minute mark was nearly up.

"We aren't giving up that quickly!" Kenny replied. "Sunny day Breloom!" He added.

"Now both use solar beam!" Both Kenny and Dawn commanded.

The weather around us got hot quickly and then bright light fell from the sky and onto our pokemon. We could both hear the scream both Munchlax and Staraptor made when the powerful grass type attack hit our pokemon. Our points went down bad which made both Ash and I worry.

"Metronome once more Munchlax!" I called out. Hoping a move will come out that would help us win this round.

Munchlax waved his fingers once more and soon when the move was over, Munchlax slammed his fist onto the stage. I knew this was the move Earthquake. Now I waited for Ash to do his move.

"Aerial Ace on Breloom, Staraptor!" Ash added.

Staraptor did a front flip in the air before landing a powerful speedy flying type attack. Within moments of the attack Breloom fainted right in front of our eyes. I was surprise that one attack knock out Breloom.

"But how?" I questioned myself, out loud.

"Well I thought for a moment that this was a gym battle. I remember that Breloom is half grass and fighting. Both types are weak against flying. So any flying type attack will do massive damage on Breloom." Ash answered.

"You still have your pokemon trainer in you, I see." I smiled.

"I told myself that is one thing I won't lose." Ash smiled back and looked back on the stage. Dawn's Typhlosion was still regaining its balance from the last attack Munchlax landed on it.

"Ash!" I called out.

"I got it!" Ash replied back. "Brave bird now!"

Staraptor called out and soon gained enough speed to hit land a direct hit right on Dawn's pokemon. We both thought that would do the trick but Dawn's pokemon was still standing.

"I don't go down easy. Remember I learn from the best." Dawn winked. "Flamethrower on Munchlax!"

"Jump on Staraptor now!"

"Wait…what?" Ash replied in shock.

"Trust your girlfriend will you?" I smiled and added a wink.

"Like I have a choice." Ash sighed and soon turned serious. "Let's finish this. Brave bird!"

"Focus punch!" I added.

"Flamethrower right at them Typhlosion!" Dawn called out.

The scorching flames from Typhlosion mouth landed right at us, but that didn't stop us from the attack. I could see Staraptor suffering from the attack. I couldn't take it anymore and plus we were running out of time. I told Munchlax to jump off Staraptor as the bird finally falls to the ground from the intense attack. Dawn didn't see Munchlax jumped off of Staraptor so we used that to our advantage as well. By the time Dawn did notice Munchlax wasn't with Staraptor it was already too late. Focus punch landed a direct hit on Typhlosion. The timer ended right on time, just when Typhlosion fainted from the attack.

"The winners are Ash and May. Congratulations!"

"We did it!" I cheered as I embraced Ash.

"Yeah." He smiled back.

We both looked and saw Dawn and Kenny heading our way. I could tell were both disappointed but they tried not to show us by hiding by placing a smile over it. Dawn offered her hand for a handshake and Kenny did the same. Ash and I nodded at each other and accepted the handshake. We could all hear the cheer of the crowd cheering on how much they enjoyed the battle.

"Looks like you fulfilled the promise you made to me back three years ago at the Wallace Cup." Dawn began.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I'm glad you didn't go easy on me." I smiled.

"But next time I will win." Dawn teased.

"Okay then." I teased as well and Dawn and I both laughed together.

* * *

"Come on, smile will you?" Ash smiled as we walked together in the park. Holding my hand as well.

"I just can't believe I have to verse you in three days from now. I don't know if I can fight my own boyfriend by that time." I replied in a worried tone.

"We can worry about that later." Ash smiled as he placed his hand on my cheek. I knew he wanted to cheer me up.

"I'm so glad you are with me Ash." I smiled and placed my hand over his and closed my eyes and soon opened them once more. "Wait…Does Dawn know about this?"

"Well I'm not sure about that or Drew." Ash sighed and scratches his head. "But can we just stop worrying about people knowing about us? Let's just have a good day out together okay?" Ash smiled.

"Okay." I replied and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek. "First let's get some steamed pork buns. I heard they are great around here."

As Ash smiled in response I went into my thoughts and thought for a brief moment. I never saw Ash so happy with me before. Ever since we met he seem sad about that he forgotten who he once was but now, he doesn't seem to mind. Ever since I met Ash again my hopes of winning and achieving my goals were I once again, able to be seen. They weren't as blurred as they once were.

I was also even happier on that day because nobody would see us together. Dawn and Lyra went out shopping for the day, Kenny was training with Drew and Mimi was exploring herself around the east side of Mount Silver. Everything was going to plan. I couldn't think of anything that could have gone wrong. I knew that today was our day to enjoy each other's company and forget about the Grand Festival for just one day.

After ordering my meal we both decided to sit at a bench together, watching young trainers training and having a great time together. Scenes like that reminded me on how far I have come since that day back in Littleroot town.

"Mm, this is sure great." I began as I took a bite into my meal. "I always wanted to try a flavor like this." I turned to my left and saw Ash looking at me. Already I thought to myself that he was acting out of character already. He grabbed out his hand and placed it on my face and made it turned towards his direction. "Ash?" I asked as our lips were so close it looked like we were kissing.

"What happened yesterday. I wanted to hold out and resist for today. But just looking at you, I can't hold on much longer." Ash replied as he looked into my eyes deeply. "I mean… can I?" He asked.

Yesterday we confessed that we liked each other, also it was the day we defeating Dawn and Kenny and advance to the finals and know we will fight against each other to win the Grand Festival, With all the things we are going to go through. I guess whatever he was planning to do; I will allow him to do it. I closed my eyes and when I opened them I saw that Ash had just taken a bite from my steamed pork bun. My jaw nearly dropped to the ground, instead of what I thought was a kiss ended up on my food instead.

"Mmm, it really does taste good. I think I will buy this flavor next time."Ash said with half my meal in his mouth.

"No fair." I replied in a slight annoyed tone. "Your bite nearly took all of it."

"Well watching you eat it made it more appetizing." Ash smiled. "Now, come on. I'll buy you another one." Ash laughed.

"And make sure you buy your own." I replied in an annoyed tone of voice. As soon we both decided to go and buy another round of pork buns I felt a soft tap on my shoulders. I looked over my shoulders and saw Dawn and Lyra. I knew that they must have finished shopping in town.

Something I didn't expect.

"What are you two doing here?" Lyra asked.

"Eh?" I replied. Having no idea how I would explain Ash and me sitting so close to each other or spending time with each other.

"You two are going to verse each other to win the Grand Festival and you're enjoying each other's company?" Dawn asked, in a slightly higher tone of voice than normal.

"Is it bad to hang with one of my friends before we have to fight each other?" Ash asked.

"It's not that, it's that you're sitting very close to each other." Lyra asked as she looked at us, with her face near our faces that it started to feel uncomfortable. "Are you two dating?" She asked.

"What make you say that Lyra?" I asked trying to hide the blush that had already spread across my face.

"Yeah." Ash smiled as he two tried to hide his blush on his face as well.

"Well first, Ash you have got your arm around May's shoulders and secondly and bite on that pork steam bun are both different." Lyra replied.

"Wow, she is good." I replied in my thoughts. "Well just because of that doesn't mean we are dating, right Ash?" I added as I looked over to Ash. Hoping that he to, would play along.

"Dating?" Ash asked. "Depends what you mean by dating." Ash asked.

"As in boyfriend and girlfriend silly." Lyra added with one of her cheeky smiles.

"I'm just hanging out with May as _friends. _We're not dating." Ash smiled. Hoping that smile would convince Lyra.

"Yup, that's right." I added in with a smile. "No dating, whatsoever."

"Fine I'm convinced." Lyra sighed. "I mean, Ash isn't the type of person that thinks of having a girlfriend before his career." Lyra laughed and looked over her shoulder. "Right Dawn?"

"Uh, yeah." Dawn smiled, but right after she had a worried and nervous look all over her face.

_"That's right." _I thought to myself once more. Dawn told me that she liked Ash. If I told Dawn that Ash and I are dating now. There is no doubt it could be the end of our friendship.

Like I need another problem to face, I still needed to tell Ash about his past and that I was the missing girl he has been looking for. Soon Lyra called Dawn and herself to go back to the pokecenter and when they were far enough we decided to go back to the way we acted before Lyra and Dawn came along.

"I'm worried about telling about Dawn about us." I began.

"Same here." Ash replied as he looked towards the sky with his arm over my shoulders. "I'm afraid that Dawn won't be friends with us anymore if we do tell."

"I don't want Dawn to hate us. We don't mean any harm." I replied.

"I know but sometimes Dawn takes things the wrong way if you don't have good enough reasons or explain things well." Ash sighed as he looked over to me. "Now let's go get those steamed pork buns and have a nice walk together to forget about this okay?" Ash replied as he stood up and offered his hand.

"Alright." I agreed as I took Ash's hand and we both walked together.

* * *

The light of the moon glow in the room. I sat up and looked at my pokeballs, decided who I should use against Ash. I placed them back into my green bag and look at the photo of Ash and me back at the port of the Wallace Cup and the ribbon we share. I tighten my grip on the ribbon.

I never knew how much that ribbon meant to me until that day.

Soon I heard panting of a young girl. Their footsteps pace was faster than walking so I knew that she was running. Also it was getting louder so I had no doubt she was coming into my room. The noise stopped when she reached the entrance of the door. She had her rich red dress on. She long socks and pink boots on, her white thick scarf that had lost its shape and form and was just lying down on her shoulders. Her beanie was out of place but she didn't seem to care and her hair was everywhere and her eyes were sore from crying. She had a depressing look all over her face.

"Dawn?" I asked.

"How could you!" She yelled. "You told me you didn't like him!"

"Who!"

"Stop lying May. You're dating Ash now, aren't you?" Dawn yelled. I never saw Dawn in such angry mood that she was starting to scare me. I decided it was best not to say anything at all. "Why?" She cried.

"I…always liked Ash since we first met back in Hoenn." I whispered to her as I looked down on my bed and quickly look up with rage built in me for some unknown reason. "He doesn't deserve someone like you!" I yelled and quickly covered my mouth in shock that I said something like that to Dawn.

"…and what reasons do you have to be his girlfriend?" Dawn questioned in a yelling tone of voice.

"Stop this now." Ash told us both in a calm manner as he walked into the room and stood right in the middle of us. "Don't you find it silly fighting over me?"

"Sorry." I replied. "I didn't know what went over me."

"But why her Ash?" Dawn asked in a much calmer tone.

"Choosing somebody to like isn't in the head, but in the heart." Ash replied as he looked right at Dawn. "We didn't want to tell you about us dating because we were afraid that this would happen. We don't want to lose a friend like you Dawn." Ash added.

Dawn didn't reply straight after but instead ran out of the room. I quickly got up and wanted to follow her but Ash grabbed my hand when I was about to run past him. He looked at my face and I knew straight away that it was best to leave Dawn along. I wrapped my arms around Ash and placed my head on his torso. He knew as well as I did that we didn't want to lose our good friend.

**End of Chapter **

* * *

**Preview of chp14**

It's hard to believe that within a few hours, the things you treasure the most can vanish within hours. With Ash disappearing with only two days left before the finals and Dawn hiding to share her rage with only herself. I had to know only count on my three closest friends now, Drew, Lyra and Mimi. We had our thickest and warmest clothes over us. We all held our hands together as we made our way to the west side of Mount Silver.

I couldn't let two of the most important people in my life go.

Not ever.


	14. Chapter 14

Okay since everybody review is pretty similar, i will explain in one go. I haven't wrote yet if Ash already knows about May's past of find out yet, i will come to that conculsion soon enough.

Now my explanation of my dissapearance of two weeks, lets see, where to start, i know! it started with my internet cutting off for one week, had to work on my pokemon manga on deviantART, had writers block for a few days, was stuck at one part on the chapter, had to check for mistakes.

Okay thats it. and at the end of the chapter i will post a little of the next chapter, to prove im not dead or not writing this fanfiction.

**Gerbilftw: **Well i have to add some surprise in thsi fic, don't I? About how Ash's loses his memory, or why he went missing, you guys have to wait longer because they will be explained in part two. =D lol, im so evil. xD

**Char006: **It's alright. as longer you reviewed its alright. at least i know people are reading this fic. xD

**fernando11chiki: **There will. just wait.

**geny35: **Yes she is mad, i mean imagine your best friend steals the person you love so much. that's got to hurt.

**Annerlise922x: **I hope so too, well all of the readers i guess, expect the Dawn haters. rofl.**  
**

**Okay, chp15 is going to be so sad, you guys will kill me after it, trust me. okay enjoy this. maybe the next update will either be in a few days or next week. depends on my mood.**

**~midnight**

**

* * *

**

**Shippings in this chapter:** Advanceshipping.

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter fourteen**

It's hard to believe that within a few hours, the things you treasure the most can vanish within hours. With Ash disappearing with only two days left before the finals and Dawn hiding to share her rage with only herself. I had to know only count on my three closest friends now, Drew, Lyra and Mimi. We had our thickest and warmest clothes over us. We all held our hands together as we made our way to the west side of Mount Silver.

I couldn't let two of the most important people in my life go.

Not ever.

* * *

Panting.

Running.

The two things my mind really focused on. Hall after hall, door after door. No sign for who I was really looking for. It felt like I was going nowhere and this running was completely pointless. Soon I was a figure in front of me.

"Drew!" I called out. He turned around as soon I called out his name. "I need your help!"

"Wait, what for?" Drew asked as he packing his things, ready to leave in a few days time.

"Ash is missing and I can't find Dawn either!" I panicked.

"But why would Ash go away with the finals only two days away?" Drew asked.

"I don't know, I don't know!" I panicked once more as I repeated the same words in the same sentence. Soon I started to cry in front of Drew. "Dawn is missing because she found out that…"I paused. I was afraid that if I told Drew that Ash and I were dating I would lose him to. I continued to gaze the dull grey carpet below me.

I don't want to lose anymore of my friends.

"…you two are dating." Drew stated.

"You knew?" I replied as I looked up at him.

"I could tell already." Drew told me. "I'm happy for you both."Drew added as he tried to smile. I knew deep inside of me he was hurt. "Don't worry. As a friend I will help you find Ash and Dawn."

"But thing is I have no idea where to find them." I replied as I wiped my tears away.

"Maybe we know." A voice called from behind.

I turned around and saw Lyra and Mimi together. Together and dressed in warm clothes ready to go outside. I could already tell by the way that they dressed that we were going to a very cold place.

"Mount Silver." Mimi replied. It was the first time I heard her voice so serious and determined.

"Why up there?" Drew asked. "The west side of this mountain has one of the worst snowstorms you can ever imagine."

"I have a feeling Ash wants time on his own. Why he did it, I don't know." Mimi added as she brushed her long brown hair off her shoulders. "It's the only place that would make sense to go. He knows it's a place where his hard to find."

"It's better if we all go together." Lyra added.

"And Kenny?" I asked.

"It's better if he stays here, with Dawn. So she has somebody to talk to and somebody can look after her. She isn't herself right now."

"I know." I muttered. I knew it myself already. Dawn running out of the room and hours later Ash goes missing. Could they be both connected? But Ash told me himself it's better to leave Dawn alone to think.

Did Ash have his own reason to leave before the finals?

I had to know.

We all had to know.

* * *

At first the snow wasn't bad but snow it got thicker within moments. We all held hands as we walked through the thick snow. My mind was a thick as the snow as many questions rose into my mind.

Why would Ash go? Is he really up here? Is he alright? Why didn't he tell me?

So many questions without answers.

And soon enough the four of us reached the cave Drew and I were in before a few weeks ago. We all decided it was better to stay here until morning where the snow would hopefully be calmer so we could continue the search for Ash. We gather all we need for a fire and hours past and Drew and Lyra were fast asleep. Only Mimi and I were still awake. Watching the cracking of the fire and gathering its warmth. I looked at Mimi's face. It had a sense of worried and uncertainly.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

All Mimi replied was a simple sigh.

"Maybe it's best if I leave you alone." I suggested.

"Thanks." Mimi replied in a soft low voice, nearly as soft as a whisper.

I soon stood up and walked around in the deep cave. I decided to look around to past the time. The cave was quiet and the walls were wet and cold. It wasn't dark since the roof of the caves had holes, so snow or rain could get in easily. I was at a dead end when I decided it was time to head back, maybe by now Mimi was back to her cheerful mood and out of her depression. It was around here when I heard heavy slow footsteps right behind me. It didn't last long when I turned around.

"Ash?" I asked "is that you?"

"I'm not Ash. The name is Alex." He replied. By the tone of his voice, he sounded older than me.

_"Two trainers?" I asked._

_"It's been news between trainers and coordinators that two strong trainers, one girl and one guy lives up on the mountain and challenges anybody they see up there, nobody has ever beaten them. This rumor has been going for three years and these two trainers have never gone down that mountain. "_

_"And their names?" Soledad asked who I didn't think she would be interested in Harley's stories._

_"Many names but the ones I have heard often are the names of Amelia and Alex." Harley replied. "But they never talk from what I heard so I don't think that are even their names." Harley said as he started to think about the idea. "But like if we are going up there. We are going there for the grand festival." Harley cheered as his serious side quickly faded._

"You're one of the trainers that live on top of this mountain." I stated. "Are you here to battle me?"

"Like I said before. I don't battle people that let their Pokémon dance on a small stage." Alex laughed, but it sounded more of a mocking laugh to me. "I'm here to look for Amelia. She is missing."

"And why ask me where she is?" I asked in an annoyed sarcastic tone of voice.

"Because you two are the same age and she has the same colour hair as you and me."

For somebody to have lived on a mountain for three years straight, without and warm clothes over him, I was still amazed he could still talk to somebody and have a decent conversation with them. To add with that, he is actually looking for somebody around my age with my same hair colour. While we were talking it felt like I was talking to Ash himself. Alex did have the same eye colour as Ash and Mimi.

Auburn.

"I don't know where she is." I soon said right after. "Mimi was the one that dragged us here to look for my boyfriend, Ash."

"Mimi?" Alex asked. "Could it be?" He asked himself and soon ran off, towards where the others were sleeping.

"Hey! Wait!" I called but Alex completely ignored my call. I chased right after him until we reached the others. Alex didn't have a pleased look on his face.

"Amelia!" Alex yelled right at Mimi. "Get up now!"

Mimi didn't responded and kept staring at the fire which was about to go out. She soon turned her head around. Her eyes had fear, pain and many more mixed emotions in them. Alex had anger, distrust within them. Their eyes could express and tell more of the story than their lips could describe.

"Who…are…you?" Mimi asked. He eyes started it glitter as the water started to build in them.

"Don't play dumb, Amelia. Get up and let's go." His voice was so hard and demanding, it was terrifying to listen to. It strike fear to anyone. He walked right to Mimi and grabbed her arm. "Let's go!"

"Get off of her." Lyra called out as she pushed Alex off Mimi. "She isn't Amelia."

Alex just glared at the group and glared at Mimi the most and walked up the path until he reached me. He looked at me like he disliked me as well. But I had no idea why.

"We will meet again, and when we do we are going to talk." Alex replied before walked away from the group. The darkness at the end of the cave made him disappear and leavening the four of us alone once more. I turned around to face the others. I looked into Mimi's eyes and saw fear in them. I never saw this side of Mimi before, the side where only fear existed, where your say doesn't matter and where you're alone and can't get back.

"S…S…Sorryy…" Mimi cried. Her voice was so full of fear that you couldn't understand the words that came out of her lips.

"It's alright." I replied as I knelt down and placed my hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault."

After that scene we all went to sleep without saying other word.

* * *

Light shown through the holes from the roof of the cave, as I opened my eyes to find that the weather had slowed down. To add to that Mimi was gone. After what happened yesterday she must have went down the mountain for some time to herself. I woke up both Lyra and Drew soon woke up right after. Now that Mimi was gone we had to rely on Lyra to lead us up the mountain since she reached the top before. We all made our way to the top and were shocked to what we found out. Near the entrance was a huge bolder, so we couldn't be seen the three of us hid behind the huge rock.

There on the edge of the cliff was where Alex was standing. Next to him was Amelia, the girl Alex was looking for the night before. What was shocking the most was Ash was only a few feet away from them, he couldn't even stand up straight.

"Battle me!" Ash yelled. We could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't himself.

"We already bet you. What point do you want to prove?" Alex yelled back.

"I was only warming up!" Ash yelled even more. But there was something wrong with his voice. As if it sounded for a second it was about to fade out.

"Get off this mountain Ash!" Alex yelled.

"How…do you know my…name?" Ash asked back. He was now breathing heavily.

Alex just stood there studded. He bit his lip like he knew the answer but didn't want to tell Ash.

Just like me.

"Tell me!" Ash yelled. Now he was acting like a fool asking and forcing people to answer his eager questions.

"Stop it Ash!" I yelled as I decided to be time to stop hiding from the bolder. Soon Lyra and Drew did the same.

"May?" Ash asked. He had a red blush on his cheeks, we all knew it wasn't because of embarrassment but because he had a high fever. "What are you doing…" Ash said before fainting onto the snow, our guess that Ash having a high fever was right. If we waited any longer Ash could get even worse if we didn't do anything. We all ran towards Ash as I held Ash in my arms while sitting down on the cold snow. Drew send out his Flygon ready to leave the mountain as Alex watched. Amelia watched but soon couldn't help it and run towards us.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked in a yelling tone of voice.

"I'm helping my older brother!" Amelia replied.

"Wha?" Lyra asked in a confused tone. We all wanted to know what was happening around us. "Who are you?" She added.

"My name is Amelia Ketchum or you might know as Mimi."

"Mimi!" We all replied in shock. "But how?"

"I will talk about this later. Right now we need to go before Ash's fever gets any higher."

"Amelia…" Alex replied but didn't seem to bother finishing his sentence.

"Big brother." Amelia replied as she turned around to face him. "When I leave this mountain, forget you ever had a little sister." She added as she got out her pokeball. "Ever since we got up here you have become as cold as the blizzards here. You're no longer the brother I once knew!" She yelled as she released her Ditto. "Ditto use transform on Flygon please."

"Dit." Soon Ditto followed Amelia's orders and transformed into a Flygon.

We all got on. Drew, Ash and I went on Drew's Flygon and Lyra and Amelia went on the other. As I held one hand onto Drew I thought that Drew could have left when Ash and I bet him in the grand festival. But why was he still here helping me?

"Drew why do you still help me?" I asked.

"I've told you before May." Drew answered back as he looked over his should to look at me. "I'm a friend; you helped me in the past. I want to return the favor."

"Thanks again Drew." I smiled as I look at Ash. I placed my hand on his forehead and his fever was still high. I was getting more worried by the second as we headed to the hospital. What if we didn't head back in time?

Ash.

He has saved me so many times, since we first met back in Littleroot town to now. Three years ago was when I visited him at the Wallace Cup. Two years after that was when we met again here in Johto, only to find out that Ash has completely forgotten who I am to him.

Five years has past all together.

Five years since I met Ash.

Five years to wait to tell him how much he means to me.

And to lose Ash now?

Would just be a waste of waiting for five years.

They say good things come to those who wait, but they never tell if you how long they will stay or if they will go away again. What is the point of waiting if they will leave you once more? Why can't they stay? Why can't a fantasy like a happy ever after exist?

"Ash…" I muttered as I held Ash closer to me. "I don't want to lose you now." I pleaded. "Please hold on. Do it for me." I brushed his face with the back of my fingers and softly kissed his lips. "Do it for us."

**End of chapter.**


	15. Chapter 15

By the end of this chapter, soo many advanceshippers will kill me, of god, .

I wrote this last week and chapter 16 is done as well. so i will update both at the same day. ^^

And i will explain alot of stuff in chapter 16, you will understand when i uplode it and you guys read it. =3

**~midnight**

**

* * *

**

**Shippings in this chapter:** Slight Advanceshipping and Pokeshipping.

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter fifteen**

He didn't move.

His eyes still closed.

Nothing had changed since we came.

I kept on waiting, hoping that when Ash woke up. I would be the first person he would see. I knew I should go and leave or take some rest but my body wouldn't let me leave. As if it was telling me to stay just a little longer. A little longer to see a small change from Ash.

But nothing was happening.

"You should get some rest now."

But my mind continued to ignore commands that I should go.

"May…"

Nothing would change my mind.

"If you don't get some rest, you will get sick as well. Ash will blame himself if you do get sick."

"Amelia please." I continued to stay where I was. "I know I should, but I don't want to leave Ash, when I was in trouble Ash never left my side."

"I'm just worried for a friend." Amelia added as she came to walk towards me. I continued to sit on my chair near Ash's bed. I didn't bother looking her to eye to eye.

"Did you really battle Ash?" I asked. Creating a new topic as I still avoided looking at her face. I wasn't angry at her but I was so worried about Ash's health that I really didn't focus on anything else.

"I didn't. Even Ash was yelling at me to battle him. I knew he wasn't himself. Alex did though. I told him not to but Alex didn't listen. Instead of helping Ash he decided it was better to battle him instead. I was just praying that you guys would come. I knew that when you reached the top you would bring Ash to a safer place where he can be taken cared of."

"And why did you leave the mountain?" I asked once more.

"I wanted to change. I wanted Alex to change as well. I knew before we went up the mountain that Ash was a well known Pokémon trainer. So I went down in search for him. I asked many people but from what I heard Ash stopped becoming a Pokémon master two years ago. So I went to the train station to go back to the mountain. There, I didn't expect you and Ash there or to find out Ash has become a Pokémon coordinator."

"That explains a lot." I replied.

"You go get some rest or something to eat. I will stay here and look after Ash until you come back." Amelia suggested.

"Thanks." I answered as I stood up and looked right at Amelia into the face and nodded and soon left the room.

As I left the room I gazed outside of the window. The sky was pitched black, as the sky remained silent. I didn't knew that I was in that room for so long that it was already night. Not to add that, traveling from the top of the mountain to the bottom did take its time because the time we reached to the hospital, the sun was already setting down. The stars were shining down as I saw a group of people on the ground. Looking like, they were mumbling to one another. I couldn't see their face but they looked familiar in a way that it was hard for me to explain.

I walked down that stairs and soon made my way outside to the group of people I saw above. Now that I was closer to the group I recognized who I saw earlier. It was Drew, Lyra and a girl with short orange hair. Since Drew and Lyra were covering my view of the unknown girl I had no choice but to walk closer. When I was standing right behind Lyra and Drew, did I realized who the girl was.

"Misty?" I asked in shock, surprised the three of them who didn't expect me to be out here.

Misty looked different from the last time I saw her in Pallet town. Her hair was placed different. At the end of her hair, it was curled forward, showing a different misty than before. She had her winder outfit with her, wearing a light blue jacket with fluffy wool at the collar, at the end of her sleeves and at the end of the jacket, she was wearing black warm pants and brown boots with cream fluffy wool once more on her shoes.

"May." Misty smiled. "Nice to see you again."

"I thought you were with Ash?" Drew asked.

"Amelia is looking after him for awhile. She told me to get something to eat as well." I replied.

"I heard about Ash so I came." The gym leader soon came to and placed her hand on my shoulder. "And about you and him." She added, but it wasn't in a depressing tone, it was more of an encouraging tone instead.

"Misty." I paused and soon continued. "Ash hasn't been himself since yesterday and the same with Dawn." I soon added. "Everything has been going downhill since then." I stared at the cold snow as I waited for Misty's response.

"May." Misty replied as she lifted my head to face her and the others. "The May I knew is a happy girl, always positive. You shouldn't let things like this bring you down."

"People change Misty." I said. "Ever since Ash forgot about me, I have forgotten who I use to be."

"May…" Drew answered in a soft voice.

"Come on Misty." I said as I turned around and about to head into the building. "Let me bring you to Ash."

* * *

Misty's expression was shock was like mine when Ash forgotten about me and my rivals. Tears grew in her eyes as she slowly walked into the room with her hands over her mouth. Step after step took more and more courage and soon Misty made her way to Ash's bedside while Amelia looked up and saw the gym leader in such sadness. Misty reached out to Ash's hand and brushed her fingers tips down the top of his hand. Misty took a seat at the edge of the mattress and this time reached for Ash's face. More tears ran down the gym leaders face as she placed her hand on Ash's cheeks and rubbed them softly.

"I never knew it would go this far." She told us in the room as she tried to smile as a few more teardrops fell from her eyes. "The accident was already bad enough to deal with. I mean, I don't want to see Ash in another coma." Misty soon added as she wiped her tears away.

"Ash was in a coma?" I asked. Misty looked at me surprised that I didn't knew about Ash's coma. She knew it wasn't any use asking why I didn't knew, instead she started to talk about Ash's coma.

"Right after the accident." Misty took in a breath and soon continued. "Ash was in a coma for a year. I had fewer battles in the gym because I visited Ash at least three times a month. Dawn didn't compete in the Sinnoh Grand Festival that year as well. Brock for once didn't flirt with Nurse Joy as much." Misty giggled at the idea of Brock not a flirty as much at Nurse Joy. "The doctors said that the fall made Ash into a serious coma and there was a chance that when Ash woke up, he could forget all about us. That is what made us so worried." Misty soon took her eyes off me and onto her best friend. "But instead of us, he forgot about you, your rivals and ever traveling in the Hoenn region. He couldn't even remember me visiting you guys when you were there." Misty looked back at me. "Didn't Dawn tell you anything about the accident?" Misty asked.

"Dawn hasn't told us anything about the accident. Actually you are the only one that knows about it." Kenny replied as he entered into the room. "I've looked for Dawn everywhere. She isn't here."

"Guess she left." Amelia sighed. "I hope she is alright."

"I'm sure she is Amelia." Misty soon answered back as she pushed herself off the mattress.

"You know each other?" I asked.

"Amelia is the girl that battled me in the Kanto region about three years ago. It was a great battle, one I will never forget."

"I only did battles to follow my brothers." She sighed. "Ash and Alex."

"Ash is your brother?" Misty asked. This time she was the only one that didn't knew about Ash's siblings.

"Yeah." Amelia nodded. "Ash is my older brother and so is Alex. When Alex and I where together we named ourselves Red and Leaf. You are the only person we told our names to Misty."

"And why did you hide your names to others?" Lyra asked.

"If we told our real names to everybody we battled. There would be no doubt Ash wouldn't want to see us. Alex and Ash were never close when he left with mom."

I wanted to keep asking more questions but the look on Amelia's face told us to stop. Her face looked like the answers she was giving held deep painful memories that she didn't want to go back to. Soon one by one we left the room to get some rest. I was going to do the same until Misty called my name. "May."

"Yes?" I asked as I turned around to face the gym leader.

"I think you and Ash make a great couple. I'm glad he made a friend like you. I was so afraid that when I left Ash to become a gym leader that he wouldn't make such a good friend. I'm glad that my idea of that was wrong."

"I'm glad that Ash made a good friend like you as well Misty." And soon I left the room with Misty tagging along.

* * *

A new morning dawned as I entered into the room and saw Ash sitting up. He was already awake and sitting on his bed. He was looking an object placed in front of him. I took a few steps into the room slowly. My heart was beating fast, I could feel my hands losing grip and starting to sweat. Something was bad to happen.

And I didn't want to know what it was.

Ash heard me and looked towards my direction. The stare didn't last long as he went back staring at the object. I walked closer and soon knew what Ash was looking at.

It was the photo we took three years ago at the port, where the event of the Wallace Cup was held.

But how did Ash get it?

I knew that this wasn't going to end well.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Ash asked, without even looking at me.

"If I told you earlier, you wouldn't believe me. If I told you later, you would ask why didn't I tell you earlier." I replied.

"I would of believed you in any way May. Even it was late or early." Ash replied. "But why hide it from me, yet lie?"

"Everyday, I wanted to tell you. Everyday, I knew the risks. Everyday got harder and harder to hold in. Everyday, I thought about you, and how you would react." I replied once more.

"You were just protecting yourself. You weren't thinking of me." Ash soon added. Still, without looking at me at all.

"That's not true!" I yelled. "You don't know how much I wanted to tell you that I was that missing girl from your past!"

"Now…I don't know what to believe anymore May." Ash sighed. "I don't know if we should still be together."

"Wha…What are you saying Ash?" I questioned. I had fear all over my face.

"You held a secret from me, you lied also. I can't even believe a word from you or even trust you." He added. "We need to break up."

"I…" I replied. I sighed and looked on the ground. "…understand."

"I'm sorry May…" Ash told me but I was already out the room before I could reply to him.

I didn't know where I was heading, I didn't care. I just wanted to run and run and never stop. I wanted to hide and cover more of my lies. After running for so long my legs started to lose balance, when I reached out the hospital was when they collapsed. The rain pouring all over my body. The sky was dull grey and didn't seem to get any lighter. I wanted to yell, scream, hit Ash after all the words he said to him.

But I can't.

Because I love him.

I wanted to know so badly if he understood why I did all that. I wanted him to know that I did it for him and not for myself. I knew the risks.

I knew he would act like that.

I knew it yet, I didn't do anything to stop it.

Instead of doing anything to help myself.

I just cried.

And cried.

And cried.

**End of part one.**


	16. Part 2

**Shippings in this chapter:** Tiny amount of Pearlshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**~Part two~**

**Mysterious Stranger:**

**Unknown reflection**

**Chapter sixteen.**

You would have expected that after three years that I would get over that. The crying, the pain and the rejection. I thought that too at first but it's much different when you say that in three years time I would be over it and now that it is, it's much different. Now here I am, still thinking about it when I shouldn't. Still thinking about _us._

Rain continued it pour all over my body. The drops of water running down my face, acting as if, like I was crying. The ground going soft and turning into mud as I walked across it. The skies, so dull and boring. More depressing to look at it the longer it stays. I close my eyes as I continued to ear the rain drops crashing either on my body of the objects surrounding me. I open my eyes and see a figure I didn't see before.

It was a girl, the same age as me. She had brown hair, a pink and white cap, with a poke ball, place in the middle. Wearing a black vest with a white shirt underneath, and short blue shorts with white spiky fabric pockets at the ends, matching with boots with pink laces and a pink bag in which the strap when across her chest. Her eyes are what stand out the most to me, I couldn't tell the colour but they acted like they spoke to me. Her lips moved but you couldn't hear anything that she said, as if she mouthed the words to me instead. I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times and soon saw that girl was gone.

_"Weird."_ I thought to myself. "I sure have been thinking to myself way too much."

I was heading back to meet up with the others when I felt a soft tug from the bottom of my coat.

"Have you seen my mommy, Mister?"

I looked down and saw a young girl. She looked like she was around three years old. She was wearing a pink dress with a white collar and a cute red ribbon in the middle. She had long black hair. In her arms was a baby Torchic. Looking hurt from the rain since it was a fire type. And on the young girl's feet was pink shoes with white socks. The young girl had a worried and scared look on her face that I was worried where her mother went.

"No." I replied as I kneeled down to her height. "Why aren't you with her?"

"I was with her before." She replied. "Mommy calls my Lyn. What's your name Mister?" Lyn asked me.

"My name is Ash Ketchum. But most people call my Professor Ketchum now." I smiled as I patted Lyn on the head. Hoping to raise her mood.

After my break up with May three years ago I lost my interest in contests. I thought about going back to gym battles but I didn't have any interest in it at all. I wasn't myself around that time. Professor Oak finally retried and moved back to a new town and continued his poetry there. I wanted to take my mind off what had happened and knew becoming a Pokemon Professor would help me move on. I carried Lyn into my arms while she continued to hold her Torchic in her arms and didn't want to return it to its poke ball. I continued to felt the rain pour all over us as the wind started to pick up. It was harder to walk up the stairs now that I was carrying Lyn and her Torchic in her arms. When we reached the door a stretched out my arm and turned the door knob and walked us both inside. I went into the lab and placed Lyn in a wooden chair, still holding her Hoenn fire type starter. We were both soaking wet but we really didn't mind.

"Who is that young girl?" Dawn asked as she walked into the room.

My feelings for Dawn came back after a few months after breaking up with May. We have been together for two years. She decided to come down to Pallet to help me around the lab. Under her white lab coat she had a light pink summer jacket, with a white shirt underneath with a black skirt that reached past her knees. Her hair was tied back into a ball with the hair on her side of her hair was down.

"This is Lyn. I found her outside in the rain." I replied as I returned with a dry towel in my hands. Kneeled down and started to dry her hair.

"And her parents?" She asked as she grabbed a brush from the benched and brushed Lyn's hair.

"I looked around for them, but I couldn't see them." I sighed.

"Well you look after the Pokémon while I dry off Lyn." Dawn added as she carried Lyn off the chair, while Lyn continued to hold her Torchic.

I took my coat off and walked to the window. I saw my reflection, myself wearing a blue shirt, with half of it in dark blue and so was the collar, in the middle of the collar was a white zipper that reached the bottom, and I had my grey pants and red sneakers. I took off my black and red cap, with a black poke ball in the center and three it on the table. Every time it rains I stare at myself and think back to that day. The day where we broke up, it was also raining that day.

* * *

_It's over._

_All over._

_Can't believe it._

_Not even my eyes could._

_My mind still can't accept that it's done._

_Gone._

_Over._

_I held the photo in my hand and gazed at us together happy together, back to the day where I was doing the gyms in the Sinnoh region. Where I was travelling with Dawn and Brock, I heard small taps on the window and looked what the sound was. It was the rain drops crashing on the window. I pushed myself a little more since I had a hard time to move my legs. I reached my arms until I reached the window sill and watched wild pokemon running to dry shelter. Then I saw a young girl crying in the mud. I knew who it was._

_My heart heavier with guilt, I placed my finger on the window over her, pretending she was near me. I situated my forehead on the cold foggy window and closed my eyes._

_If only she would stayed a little longer…_

_For me to say__…_

* * *

"I'm sorry."

"Eh?" My thoughts of that moment faded away as I turned around and saw three year old Lyn staring at me with her Torchic by her side.

"Mommy and Daddy need me. I have to go." Lyn stated. Soon she turned towards the door and jumped to reach the doorknob.

I sighed and walk over the Lyn and placed my hand on her shoulder and knelled down to her height which made her turn towards me. "It's raining. Mommy and Daddy will be more worried if you became sick because of the rain."

"But they will be sad without me." Lyn pleaded.

Lyn cute little voice couldn't help me but to smile and rubbed her long black hair. "They will be sadder if they find out that your sick. Do you want mommy and daddy to worry about you and find out your sick?

"No."

"Then can you stay here until we find your mommy and daddy?"

"Okay Mr. Ketchump." Lyn smiled. Telling she couldn't pronounce my surname right. I sweat dropped at the original nickname and smiled and soon laughed. Lyn soon laughed with me. Soon we both stopped and Lyn had a curious looked on her face. She walked closed to me and rubbed my hair around. "Your hair is very thick Mr. Ketchump." I smiled and rubbed her hair long black hair as well.

"So is yours." I teased. "Too bad when you grow up older you will become bald because it's too thick." I teased once more, making up a fake fact to tease her more.

"Whaa?" Lyn panicked as she placed her hand on her cheek. "I don't wanna go baldy."

"Stop teasing the little cutie already big brother." Amelia answered as she entered the lab. Amelia decided to move to Pallet with me as well. She decided to help around the lab like Dawn but she was more the helper of young trainers how to battle instead. She took off her white lab coat as well as she was wearing a long black dress reaching up to her knees, her brown hair down, wearing white gloves and long black boots.

"At Gary's again?" I asked in a teasing manner as I carried Lyn in my arms.

"No." Amelia replied as a blush grew across her face. I knew she visited him again.

"She's lying." Lyn laughed. "Look at her face."

"I take back calling you a cutie." Amelia grumbled. "Anyway where did you find her?"

I shifted my eyes away from her. Where I went was too painful to tell. She saw what I was trying to tell her and nodded.

"So now what?" She asked.

"I guess we will look after her until we find her parents." I replied as I felt Lyn rest her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes and started to sleep.

"She seems to already like you." Amelia smiled as she patted Lyn softly on the head.

"Yeah." I sighed. "You should hear the nickname she already gave me." I added as I started to walk to the bedroom.

"What is it?" my younger sister asked.

"Ketchump." I sighed. Soon I continued to walk to my bedroom I share with Dawn. I placed down Lyn on the bed and took her shoes off and tucked her in. I brushed her fringe away from her face and looked at her sleeping face.

_"How could your parents leave you all alone on a night like this?" _I questioned myself. Soon a heard muttering from the other room and quietly made my way there. I stood near the entrance of the door as I listened to Dawn and Amelia's conversation.

"Can't believe it's been three years since we last saw them." Amelia began.

"Yeah it's been such a long time since then." Dawn added.

"Do you think big brother has forgiven what has happened?" Amelia asked.

"Knowing Ash now, maybe not." Dawn sighed.

"And what about you?" My younger sister asked my girlfriend.

"Slowly." Dawn simple stated.

"You know I admire May." Amelia began after the short silence between them. "She knew the risks, yet she did it for her friends, she such a caring person. I wish I could be a little like her, but what I did to those trainers up mount silver three years ago. I don't think I can." Amelia sighed sadly.

"Amelia." Dawn began. "You were just influenced by your…" Dawn stopped but soon added. "…anyway that was nearly six years ago. Let's forget that."

"Can you?" Amelia asked, in a more serious tone of voice. "Can you forget something you could of avoided?"

Dawn didn't reply no more and soon I walked back to my room. I pushed the door slowly opened and saw Lyn was still sleeping still. I walked to the cupboard and pulled out a small photo frame. It was the photo May and I took back at the Wallace Cup eight years ago. The photo had a few bent corners and a few scratches but it was still was good. I ran my fingers across May and my younger self smiling at the camera, enjoying our time together. Never expecting those eight years from then that this would happen between our friendship.

Nobody would have guessed.

As I continued to hold the photo in my hands I saw the reflection of the mirror on the glass frame. I looked up and turned to my right and saw the mirror as long as my body. My older self looking at it and right back, now eighteen and one of the youngest pokemon professor's. I looked back and the photo of the ten year old version of myself and onto the mirror. For a moment I couldn't tell my own reflection anymore. I couldn't tell what I wanted in myself anymore, I couldn't tell if this is what I wanted, if either I was forced or chose it to hide my depressed self.

And lie about the truth about myself.

I continue to gaze at myself.

I continued to gaze at a reflection…

I didn't know…

Anymore.

**End of chapter**

**

* * *

**

**Last minute author's comments**

Okay, time for some explaining, okay in part two, the story continues in Ash's POV. we get to see how Ash is dealing with his breakup with May three years ago. also we get to find out what this little girl named Lyn (pronowed it as Lin.) and why her parents left her with Ash. Also in part two the rest of the unad question like Ash's accident and Dawn coming back will be answered.

And to my advanceshipper friends, May won't be coming for a long time, so enjoy that pearlshipping moments. xD I like to be so mean. =)

~**midnight **


	17. Chapter 17

****

Shippings in this chapter:

Pearlshipping, Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter seventeen **

I lay back onto my chair once more and stretched out my arms into the air and yawned. Thinking on how I would rather do battles than researching in books with the words so small you couldn't even read them. I never knew that Professor Oak had such old books around in his lab, which was mine now. I laid my legs on the corner of the table which had enough space to place my feet on, in front of me was a computer I should be using but after reading such a big old book, I couldn't really feel like researching anymore. I got out the old book and started to read once more but my eyes couldn't take the small text placed in the book and I soon threw the book behind me, not caring where it really crashed into.

Soon the computer screen bright quickly and faded back to the normal bright settings any computer would have. I rubbed my eyes a few times before pushing the chair closer to the computer, seeing what had happened. I saw nothing really happened until I heard a familiar voice pop right out of the speakers while the video chat program opened up.

"Hey Ashy boy, you there?" Gary asked in a teasing manner. Calling my name using a stupid name he came up with when I started my journey an around eight years ago.

"Hey Gary." I greeted as I turned the webcam on so Gary could see me. Soon Gary did the same.

"You look tried. Do gramp's old books tire you out?" Gary teased once more.

"It's not only that, no new trainers are coming to get their starter Pokémon they like. Also looking after a three year old girl wears me out even more." I sighed.

"You're a daddy now?" Gary asked shocked. "Didn't know you and Dawn were that…"

"I'm not a dad." I replied slightly annoyed. I knew what Gary was about to say. "I found her alone a few days back and since then we have been trying to find her parents."

"Anyway I didn't call for that. It's about an interesting sighting I thought you would be interested in." Gary said, creating a new topic.

"If it's looking after sick Pokémon, count me out." I sighed, too tried to really put any thought in my last sentence.

"No it's not that Ashy." Gary stated. "It's about a sighting in Petalburg woods, a boy who looks like a few years older than you has been sighted there and a legendary Pokémon, Celebi."

"Alex is dead." I quickly stated, my laziness quickly faded away from me. "I saw it with my own eyes." Turning my attention away from Gary and onto the Wingulls's flying past the window.

"I knew you would say that but I thought you be interested in the mystery itself." Gary soon answered after a few seconds of silence. "Knowing you, you always had a gift of solving old mysteries."

"Thing is, I'm still trying to solve one right now." I replied, still avoiding looking at Gary.

"And what mystery would that happened to be?" Gary soon asked right after.

"Myself."

* * *

_My eyes slowly flicked open; blinking a few times. My vision was blurry at first but faded away and saw who was looking down at me._

_It was May._

_I looked around me and saw we were flying on Drew's Flygon, away from Mount Sliver. I saw a figure still standing at the edge of the cliff, I knew it was Alex, who was cold as the blizzards up there and a heart as the rocks that formed the mountains. Soon snow fell down the mountain, colliding right into Alex. _

_But he didn't move._

_He just stood there. _

_Like he wanted the snow to collide with him._

_And have his own funeral up there where he couldn't be found._

_Or be remembered. _

_"Alex!" I yelled, for the first time the hatred against my brother faded away. I actually cared for my older brother once more. I tried to reach for my poke ball's placed on my belt but my fever stopped me from doing it. "Alex!" I repeated once more. My friends around me thought my fever had now affected my mind by calling Alex's name more than once now. "I'm sorry!" I continued to yell. More snow fell down from the mountain as all of us just watched. I moved my attention to Mimi and saw in her eyes she wanted to cry but she was ignoring her emotions and tried to stay strong .I wanted to stare at everyone a little longer but my fever was taking over me again and I laid myself on May's shoulder. Knowing that I would be safe in her arms, after the times I saved her in my arms, I knew she would do the same for me. _

_

* * *

_

Knowing the fact that my brother was alive didn't leave my mind, I laid my back on the chair once more after having my conversation with Gary. I looked over at the window and saw grey clouds were coming in, creating an overcast look over the town. I soon decided to stand up and hang my white coat up and take a walk to town to get a few supplies. I walked down the stairs until I reached the door and grabbed the doorknob until I remembered somebody who should be come with me.

"Raichu!" I called out to my first pokemon I ever had.

"Rai?" The electric mouse asked as he walked out of one of the rooms.

Raichu's evolution only happened a year ago. Around that time we had a battle where we tested the power of not evolving him, I asked once more and presented another thunder stone. I left him in one of the rooms here; the weather was like this, but only darker and duller. I walked in to only find he wasn't there, I looked around to find that outside was my new evolved Pokemon, Raichu. Testing and getting use to its new body.

"Would you like to come to the store with me?" I asked Raichu.

"Can I come to?" Lyn asked as she overheard my conversation with one of my pokemon.

"Sure." I smiled. "Right buddy?" I winked to my electric type pokemon.

"Rai!" Raichu smiled.

I grabbed a red and black coat that Dawn told me once, she wearied when her and her mother when to Snowpoint city when she was Lyn's age. I grabbed my casual coat I bought in Snowpoint city eight years ago when I was competing in the Sinnoh ledge. When we were all dressed we head into town. I walked behind Lyn who was walking and holding hands with Raichu. Raichu was blushing by the embarrassment at first but soon joined in the fun. By the time we reached the store the clouds completely covered the whole town and looked like it was ready to rain any time. I looked around the store for the pokemon food area while I heard Lyn's and Raichu's voice in the background.

When I got what I needed I headed to the counter and got ready to pay when I glanced to the transparent glass doors. There stood the girl I saw when I first met Lyn. She still looked the same from a few days ago, the pink and white cap, the black vest white a white singlet underneath, the blue mini shorts and the grey boots. Her eyes were more visible but I still couldn't tell the colour of them.

"Rai?" Raichu asked, knowing once more I was spacing out again. I looked down and saw Raichu and Lyn.

"Sorry about that." I smiled and sweat dropped and soon looked back and saw the girl was gone. _"Who was she?" _I asked in my own thoughts. Soon my question faded from my mind and focused what I came here for.

* * *

_"Come on Ash! Dance with me in the rain!" She smiled as the she dragged me out into the pouring rain._

_"But we will get sick here May!" I called out as we were both now soaking wet in the rain. _

_"You have been looking depressed ever since we met a few weeks ago. As your official best friend here, I want to make you happy." May smiled at me as she kept holding my hand, forcing to dance like we were both insane. I had no choice but to dance with her. As the rain continued to pour over the two of us I started to enjoy my time with her. _

_For once I didn't care about not knowing about my past or the missing girl I have looking for since I became a coordinator. For once I wanted to forget them and have fun, act like all of this never happened. I never felt so happier. I didn't know how long we were out but I told myself the longer I was out here, the better I would feel. Soon I felt unbalance and was about to fall to only know that May slipped on a puddle of mud. Since we were holding hands I soon fell right after her. I opened my eyes after the fall to only find out I locked lips with May. I could feel my face go all red as I lifted my lips away from her. I couldn't believe I just shared a kiss with my best friend. _

_But I didn't get up straight away; I continued to gaze in her sapphire eyes. She didn't move or get up either. We just stayed in the place we liked. The kiss we shared, I didn't hate it but liked it, like I wanted to do it for a long time. My heart beat faster each second that went by. _

_"I like you." My lips muttered without myself knowing and I quickly got off of May covering my mouth before more strange words came out. _

_"I…" May replied but couldn't finish the sentence by the shock I told her. Soon she sat up, right next to me, with my back facing her. _

_"I like you to." She smiled. "As a friend of course, that's what you meant right?" She told me, but I could hear a slight disappointment in her voice. _

_We both sat back to back, on the mud as the rain was the only thing you could hear between us. Mixed emotions came into me, answers flashed into my mind all at once._

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_They were the only words that kept on flashing in my mind the most. My lips were tangled in what word to reply back at May. I sighed I and closed my eyes to think and clear my mind. Soon the answer escaped out of my lips without me telling it to._

_"No."_

_

* * *

_

"Dawny!" Lyn called out as she created a new nickname for Dawn. She came running up the stairs with Raichu tagging behind.

"Lyn!" Dawn cheered as she embraced the young three year old girl in her arms. "Dinner is ready, so just go to Aunty Amelia for it okay?" Dawn told the young girl and Lyn obeyed as she and Raichu ran inside. I continued to walk up the stairs with my thoughts thinking about my past. I soon felt a warm hand placed on my cheek. My thoughts faded away and saw it was Dawn with a worried expression across her face. I knew what she was worried about was about me. "What's wrong?" She asked, making my guess correct, that what she was worried about was me.

"It's nothing." Avoiding the question even more, I looked away from her.

"Please tell me Ash." Dawn pleaded.

"It's about May…I mean Alex." I replied as I corrected myself half way through my sentence. "Gary told me his been sighted around Petalburg Woods."

"But isn't Alex dead?" She asked.

"That's why I'm not raising my hopes up. Cause Alex is dead." I replied, my heartfelt more guilty and got heavier each time I told myself that my older brother was dead. Like I couldn't accept it that he was, I might hate him but after all, he was still my brother. I was about to walk past until Dawn grabbed my hand and held it tight.

"You don't have to do this alone Ash." She soon came behind me and embraced me. "That's why I'm here right?" She asked as I felt that she placed her head on my back. I took her hands off my chest and turned around placed my hand on her shoulder.

"You're here because I like you, because I love you Dawn." I told her. Soon I could see her eyes fill up with tears of joy and threw her arms over my shoulders.

"I love you too Ash." Dawn cried as she dug her head into my torso. "That's why I came back, because of you."

I didn't reply anymore and continued to embrace Dawn in my arms as she did the same. As I hugged Dawn my heart told me that I needed her.

Because she needed me.

_"But what about me?" _

_"May?" _I thought to myself, the girl I was hugging that was Dawn had now became to May. My mind had now brought me into a foggy place, a place where I couldn't tell if it was reality or my imagination. The girl I was hugging was now May but the embrace didn't last long as she pushed herself away from me. I fell right onto the ground, everywhere I looked was white, even what I was wearing was a simple white shirt and pants, and May was wearing a simple white light summer dress.

_"Why can't you let me rest Ash?" _May yelled right after she pushed me onto the ground. _"Leave me alone!" _she cried.

_"I'm the one that can't rest!" _I yelled right back. _"After all this time I'm still thinking about you!" _I added.

_"What happened between should stop, forget about me, let the love you still have for me die!" _May replied in a tone I never heard from her before.

_"My feelings for you...are still alive?" _I asked to May, but it felt like it was a question more to myself.

_"Because mine are…" _May replied right after, and as soon I closed my eyes and open I found myself embracing Dawn once more, like what I saw and heard never happened. I hugged Dawn closed to my heart.

_"The only feelings that are alive are Dawn's. My feelings for May are…" _I thought to myself and soon continued. _"…dead." _I told myself once more but each time I did. They didn't feel right.

Like I couldn't accept it.

The truth between May and I.

Are gone.

**End of chapter. **


	18. Chapter 18

****

Shippings in this chapter:

Pearlshipping, Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

**Chapter eighteen**

_ Falling._

_ Falling._

_ Falling. _

_ The cliff above me grew smaller in size, my friend's worried faces fading from my sight. I could hear the wind rushing past me; it was so loud that I couldn't even hear my thoughts. Before everything about me was wiped from my mind, I heard a scream. _

_ "Ash!"_

_ May's voice called out to me. It was the same call my friends did. _

_ "Ash!"_

_ It was Dawn's voice this time._

_ "Ash!" _

_ May's voice called out my name once more. _

_ And that was the last sentence before it all turned black. _

_ The last thing I could only remember._

_ Was that voice._

_

* * *

_

My eyes flashed wide open quickly as I looked around and saw I was in my room I was sharing with Dawn. I sat up and looked to my left and saw her sleeping peacefully in her pink night dress. I placed my hand on my forehead and felt myself sweating and gasping for air. What was once a dear memory of mine had now become a nightmare I don't want to go back to. I could feel my heart pulse beating as fast as if, it was in a race. Wanting to win something badly that as if, its life depended on it.

I had never had a memory of myself falling from a cliff, I couldn't tell if was a dream or a memory, but my heart told my differently. That it was part of my past than a dream. The more I thought and relive my nightmare, the more I believed what my heart had to say.

_"But that happened eight years ago." _I told my own thoughts. _"I don't care about it now. Just when I was ready to move on." _

I moved the sheets that covered my body off of me as I walked out of the room, not wanting to wake up Dawn. I made my way towards the kitchen when I heard of a young girl crying. I knew who it was quickly and made my way to the door. I held the doorknob tight and pushed the door forward slowly. It was Lyn crying softly with her back facing the door with her Torchic who was trying to calm the young girl down.

"Tor…" Torchic began, as if it was trying to say to the young girl to stop crying.

"Lyn?" I asked as I walked into the room. "Why are you crying?" I sat next to her and brushed her long black hair.

"I miss my daddy." Lyn cried. "And mommy too." She sat up and faced me. I could tell at her face she wanted to talk more, but her sadness of her missing her parents was too deep for her to say any more.

"It's alright." I replied as I wiped her tears away. "We will find them soon."

"Really?" Lyn asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "Now get some sleep." I added as I patted Lyn in the head softly, hoping to raise her hopes a little more.

"I can't." Lyn said back at me. "Every time I have a nightmare, mommy sings me a song."

"Sing you a song?" I asked Lyn. I suddenly had a fear I was about to sing a lullaby to Lyn.

"Please Ketchump." Lyn begged her blue sapphire eyes sparked that it was hard not to say no.

"Okay." I sighed. "But don't except a good lullaby, I was never that great of a singer." I sweat dropped as I tucked Lyn into bed. When Lyn was ready and staring at me, waiting for what I would come up with. I remembered one lullaby that I never thought I would use again.

_"Goodnight Max." She began to speak as she hopped down from the boulders she was sitting on and gently patted her younger brother on the head as Max kept on sleeping._

_"Mommy." Max muttered while holding a bunch of crystals fused together in his arms._

_"Oh?" May questioned herself but didn't bother to answer as she soon looked up towards the night sky. She closed her eyes like as if she knew what she was about to do. She opened her lips and began to sing softly. _

_"To do todo to do, tododo to do, tododo to do, to dodo do do..." Where the words May sang as I continued to stare at her while she sang that song. The words didn't made sense but I didn't mind, I just wanted her to continue to sing. Max continued to sleep while I didn't left my eyes off May. Never did I guess that one of my friends could sing a soft sweet song. We all looked at the night sky while May continued to sing the soft sweet lullaby that stayed in my mind for a long time. _

"To do todo to do, tododo to do, tododo to do, to dodo do do..." I began, embarrassed that I was even singing to begin with. I closed my eyes and continued on. When I was singing I felt as if I was back singing the song with my friends back in Hoenn, Brock, Max and May. When I sang I could hear May sing with me, as if I was back in that memory singing Jirachi back to sleep.

It was hard not to forget such a voice.

"Same…" Lyn muttered before she fell asleep.

"Same?" I questioned myself, asking myself what Lyn's last word before she fell asleep meant. I ran my fingers through her long thick black hair as I heard footsteps enter into the room.

"She has grown to you, hasn't she?" Amelia asked.

I continued the stroke Lyn's thick black hair. Trying to find an answer to my sister's question. "Well I do feel sorry for her." I continued to stroke her hair, waiting to Amelia to reply.

"My question needs a yes or no answer." My younger sister replied, as if she was demanding to know my answer and they have cut down to two answers.

If either it was.

Yes.

Or.

No.

"No." I didn't even bother to turn around and wait for a response.

"You were never good at lying Ash." She soon added. I bit my lips at the true fact. I wasn't really good at admitting at things I wasn't good at. Each time I lied it was either it didn't last very long or that I give it away at contact. "I'm worried for you big brother." I could see her shadow leaning on the entrance of the door as the light from the other room shown in. "That when the day you have to give her back, it would be like giving your heart to a completely stranger. The lack of trust within that person. As if you deserve her and not the parents."

"They gave her away, what parent in the right mind would give leave their child in the cold weather like that?" I questioned her.

"My question is what were you doing out in that weather. Nobody was out that day, only you and Lyn. I'm sure whoever left Lyn with you knew you very well." Amelia replied right after before I saw her shadow fade from my sights.

Never did I once thought about that, that whoever left Lyn with me could have been somebody I knew in my past. But with all my journeys and all the friends I made on the way, which could possibly be? Many names rushed into my mind at once. I held my head, as wanting them to rush out of my head. I closed my eyes praying that it would work.

But it didn't.

And once I opened my eyes my mind went blank. On the window sill sat the girl I saw when I first met Lyn. Although she was more transparent than before. My eyes could easily tell she was a ghost or maybe a part of my imagination.

"Who…who are you?" I muttered with uncertainty, unsure if I was going insane or not.

"An old friend." Her voice was cold and crisp. Cold wind suddenly blew right into the room, sending chills up my spine. "I have been looking for you." She added as another gust of cold wind entered into the room.

"I don't remember meeting a person like you before." Still keeping my voice low and quiet so I wouldn't let anybody hear me.

"You will soon." She winked and placed her index finger over her lips. Like she was telling me through sign language to keep quiet. Soon when another gust of cold wind came in, her body faded within my sights. Leaving me all confused to what had just happened.

* * *

_"I mean I don't know." I scratched my head and sweat dropped. Embarrassed to the fact I couldn't make my mind up to one simple question. _

_"You're a funny person Ash." May laughed as I turned around to see that she was already on her feet. I looked up and saw May offering her hand to me. "Now let's both head back before we get sick." She smiled. _

_ I accepted the offer that May gave to me and grabbed her hand as I picked myself off the mud while holding her hand. Her hand was soft and warm and made me felt much better. Like even I did get sick, it wouldn't matter because May was here by my side. _

_"What am I thinking about?" I yelled in my thoughts. "I shouldn't be thinking things like this! The grand festival is coming up in a few weeks. Romance is not part of that." _

_"You alright?" May asked, not paying attention to the part we were still holding hands. _

_"Fine." I lied. I lied to the fact that my mind was telling me all sort of questions and mix emotions that I felt like I could explode. _

_"You're such a bad lair." May teased as we both continued to walk back to the poke centre. Annoyed that what May had said was true. I just tried not to show it to her. _

_

* * *

_

"Ce-rull-lean-nn?" Lyn asked as she tried to pronounce the town's name.

"Yes, Cerulean City. We are going there today." I smiled and patted Lyn's head softly.

"Why are we going there Ash?" Dawn asked as she brought the luggage in with Amelia tagging behind.

"We need to return Lyn to her parents. To do that, we need to bring her to the police. The Cerulean police are one of the best at things like this." I replied as I walked over to Amelia and asked from my luggage off Amelia. "Let's give her back before it's too late." I sighed as Amelia gave my bag to me.

"Are we coming back here?" She asked in the most cheerful tone. Like the first day we met. I dragged my luggage and knelt down to Lyn's height. I looked into her blue sapphire colour eyes and placed my forehead on hers and closed my eyes. I never felt such emotion come into me all at once as I felt something wet run down my cheeks. I opened my eyes with my answer.

"Someday. You will." I smiled, trying to hide the sadness within me.

"Me?" Lyn asked. "What about you?" She continued to ask.

I wiped the tears from my face, trying not to make Lyn worry about me or anybody else. I smiled and patted her hair and smiled. "Come on, we will miss the bus at this rate." Avoiding Lyn's question. I stopped at the entrance and sighed. Lyn had only been in our care for a few weeks at yet, I had such an attachment to this strange child. Dawn walked beside me and placed her hand on my shoulder and gave a small peck on my cheek and whispered into my ear.

"I'm here for you." And then she continued and called Lyn to walk side by side her and left myself and my younger sister alone.

"This is the best for all of us Ash." I could tell in her voice she wasn't happy seeing Lyn leave us.

"I know." I turned around to face her. "It's the best for Lyn as well."

* * *

_"Wow a wishing star!" Dawn cheered as she pointed at the sky where she saw the wishing star. "I've never seen one before."_

_"You haven't?" I asked as I overheard Dawn's cheerful voice. I walked closer to her and added."I've seen a few over the years."_

_"Then did you make a wish then?" Dawn asked as she looked over to me, taking her attention off the night sky. _

_"Well I really can't remember." I began to think the times where I saw a falling star and actually wished right after._

_"Well make one with me." Dawn grabbed my hand and her fingers intertwined with mine. "I'm sure it will be extra special when you wish it with me." Her smile made me feel a little warmer inside._

_"Alright." I nodded and closed my eyes and began to wish. Many suggestions appeared in my mind. I wanted them all but I knew most of them wouldn't come true. I opened my eyes and looked over to my right and saw Dawn had just finished making her wish. "So what did you wish for?" I asked._

_"If I tell you, it won't come true." Dawn winked. As if it was her way of teasing me. _

_"Then I won't tell you mine." I replied as I looked up into the night sky. The stars around the moon glittered more than the other nights. I felt Dawn tighten her grip as I looked back at her. _

_"I'm sure it will come true." She smiled. _

"Ash?" A voiced called as they poked me a few times before my mind decided to wake up. I looked around me and saw Dawn right next to me and Amelia above me, with half of her behind the bus seat, still enjoying poking me. Lyn was still seated in her chair. I gazed out of my window and saw many different types of flowers located everywhere I looked. I knew where we were exactly.

We were back in Cerulean City.

**End of chapter. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Shippings in this chapter:**

Pokeshipping, Slight Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

Hello, sorry if I couldn't reply earlier. Anyway people have been saying that Lyn could be Ash and May's daughter. Well we don't know that, well except me who knows who her real parents are, but if she is and her father is Drew, how did Lyn end up with black hair? Well Max and Norman have blackish hair. So maybe she could have got her hair colour from them, or maybe it's not May and Drew at all? Ohh, I love to give you all these guesses and try to find out which one is true. =3 now in this chapter Ash gets more problems to worry about. Oh joy, the mystery of Lyn and May will be delayed even more. Oh god, this is so much fun to do. =) But don't worry, everything I write has a reason so don't go bitching on why May hasn't shown up yet. I mean she is my fav character; I can't just dump her like the writers have done with Max and Tracey, no, no, no, no. I'm not that cruel. =D

~midnight

* * *

**Chapter nineteen **

The sunset continued to descend under the hills of Cerulean City. There I stood on the hill with my oldest friend, Misty with Lyn, a mysterious child who ended up in my care for a few weeks now. I watched as the calming colour of orange and pink spread across the sky, as if was a canvas. I had Lyn in my arms, tried from the trip sleeping peacefully. Dawn and Amelia went to rest at the local poke center as I decided to take a walk with her.

"So this is Cerulean Cape?" I asked as we both walked up a slight steep hill. The view of the whole city could been seen and the sunset view turned even more beautiful

"Yeah it is. I come here around this time to think." We stood near the edge, enough to see the city without getting ourselves in danger. Misty turned around to softly pat Lyn's head as she continued to sleep. "Are you sure you want to give her back?" She continued to stroke Lyn's long black hair. "She seems attached to you so quickly within a few short weeks."

"Amelia told me that it will hurt even more if I continued to keep Lyn with me. I'm sure her parents are already looking for her." I replied as I brushed Lyn's hair away from her face. "I'll just treasure our memoires together. That's good enough for me."

"You two look so related." Misty looked into my eyes and onto Lyn's face. "As if, you were made to be together." She turned her attention back to me. "We better head back to town and show her to police Jenny, she will know what to do after that." Soon she started to make her way down the hill until I thought of a question to ask her.

"Do you think my life would have been better if I didn't lose my memory eight years ago?" I asked.

"Ash…" I heard her make a few steps back to me as I turned around to face her. "The Ash I knew eight years ago hasn't changed since. You're still the caring person I adore." She placed her hand on my right cheek. "Maybe its best if you forget the things you want to find. I don't want to see my best friend suffering anymore." She grabbed my hand. Telling me we should head back to town.

"My heart can't rest until I know who I use to be." I replied as I tighten my grip as we started to head down the hill together.

"Well let's head a trip down to memory lane." She took in a breath and continued. "We met eight years ago. You stole my bike and your Pikachu ended up destroying it and I only joined you for you to pay it back. We travelled together with Brock and Tracey and you soon taught me important things to help me become a gym leader. Soon I got my bike back and I had to leave you to look after the gym while you headed to Hoenn with Brock and there you met May." She gazed over to my direction. "The person you fell in love with. You had fallen in love with her twice."

"Twice?"

* * *

_"Is there anything you want to talk about Ash?" The young ten year old asked her oldest companion. _

_"I know I should talk to Brock about this but he hasn't been god with this kind of stuff and also Mom would just ramble about how much I've grown on my journeys." The young pokemon trainer shifted his eyes on the floor._

_"Ash please tell me what's wrong." Misty pleaded over the webcam. "We might be a few regions apart but that doesn't mean you can't tell me anything about your problems." Misty added._

_"Well I'm planning to go back home and see everyone since the Ledge and Grand Festival is over, but I have been having weird feelings of the idea." The trainer looked back at his friend. "When I think about everyone, it's okay. It's just when it comes to May. I dunno." He scratched his head. "I feel weird each time I think about her and…stuff."_

_"I think you like her Ash." Misty winked. _

_"But of course. I like all my friends." Ash replied in a dense tone of voice._

_"As in love Ash." Misty ended with a giggle. _

_"Love?" Ash blushed about the idea. "Well I had been thinking about her since I last saw her at the Wallace Cup, and the ribbon we share makes me think about her."_

_"But the question is that do you care about her more than a friend?" the young gym leader asked her old friend. _

_"I don't know. I guess so?" Ash questioned._

_"Ash, thinking about somebody everyday and having fears seeing them after a long time isn't something you feel every day." Misty stated "You love her Ash. I can see it in your eyes."_

_"I…" Ash blushed once more as he heard his friends Brock and Dawn call out his name. Calling out it was time to leave to Kanto. "…guess I do." Ash smiled as he scratched his head. "Thanks Misty." He smiled at her once more as he chased after his friend who continued to call out his name._

_"Anything for a friend." She muttered as she turned the video cam off._

* * *

"I doubt you remember that memory Ash." Misty added as we made it the the doors of the poke center.

"I dreamt about that." I replied, breaking the flow of the conversation. "It was a few years back. I thought it was a dream but now…everything doesn't make sense." I sighed as I patted Lyn softly on her back.

"Maybe you need closure." My friend suggested as I shifted my eyes towards hers. "It will be the best for you and May." He looked up the tall building of the poke center as I saw Dawn looking into the night sky. Not noticing that Misty, Lyn and I had made it back from the walk. "Especially May and Dawn."

I looked up and looked at my girlfriend. The look in her eyes looked like it held something deep and painful. I could already imagine her already crying. I looked back at Misty as saw she was still looking at Dawn. "I understand Dawn but what is wrong with May?" I asked.

"She called me the other day." She replied and soon looked back at me. "She wants to see you, for the last time."

My heart jumped, skipped and ran faster for the first time in a very long time. Here I was again having a hard time to hear and accept her name. It had been eight years and yet I can't accept her in my life once more. Many events had happened in my life that adding the request of May wanting to see me again was too much for me to handle. "I can't see her." I replied. "I can't tell you why because I don't want you to worry about me."

"It's about your mother isn't it?" she asked once more, another hard dealt question about my life. "She is part of my life too Ash. I'm affected as well."

Before I could reply I heard quicken paced footsteps from inside the poke center. The automatic doors slid outwards as I saw my younger sister, Amelia run towards me with a worried expression all over her face. I knew that it wasn't good news. I looked into her eyes and saw tears about to run down her face. She collapsed onto her knees and soon quickly looked up to me and Misty. Soon the delayed tears ran down her face. she opened her mouth a few times and tried to speak but the emotions on her were too strong for her. Soon she wiped her tears away and soon she told me her message.

"No…" I muttered. "That's not true!" I yelled.

Amelia did a small nod and looked away from me and more tears slide down her cheeks. Misty placed her hand on my shoulders as I too, felt like I was going to cry. Then suddenly I felt a soft small hand placed on my left cheek, wiping my years away. I opened my eyes to find it was Lyn.

"Don't cry." Her warm smile made me felt a little happier inside. Her eyes were half open, as if she was half asleep. She soon closed her eyes once more and her grip of her hand on my cheek dropped. I turned back to Misty and I could tell in her eyes that she would take Lyn back to the room. I gave Lyn to her and watched her walk into the building as I saw my sister crying on her knees on the ground. I knelt down and wrapped my arms around her. I felt Amelia cry even more as she soon did the same.

"We need to go back home." She cried. She was crying harder and I knew she was starting to lose hiding her emotions. "I've told Dawn about it too and she said she will follow us when we get there."

"Yeah." I pushed myself off her and placed both my hands on her shoulder. "Let's head home. Before it's too late."

I looked up towards the sky and noticed the stars glowed brighter than normal. I heart raced with fear that tonight was the last night we could all be together. I have been so apart from my family for too long. I can't afford to lose any more people I care about so much.

* * *

_"Mom why are we leaving daddy, big brother and little Amelia?" the young five year old asked his mother._

_His mother continued to not reply to her son's question and continued to rush from cupboard to cupboard, filling in their luggage with clothes they need. The boy watched as he had fears that they weren't going back to his place. To a place where he couldn't see his family together again. _

_"Are we leaving?" the boy asked once more. His mother zipped up their luggage and quickly grabbed her youngest son's hand as she rushed out the doors of her son's bedroom as the young five year old getting dragged into his mother's decisions. Soon both reached the front gate where a large black car awaited them. The young boy heard people calling his name, crying and screaming him, pleas that he had to know what was about. The boy quickly slipped his hand out of his mother's grip and ran towards back to the house where his older brother and sister awaited. His mother waited at the gate as she saw the three siblings embracing each other before it was too late. _

_"Promise we will see each other again?" the young five year old Ash asked. _

_"We won't let something like this stop us from seeing each other." Seven year old Alex replied with a smile._

_"Never." Amelia cheered, full of determination. The young boy looked back at his mother and saw that it was time to go. He looked back at his older brother and younger sister and waved with a small smile. Soon the smile grew as he waved to them as he raced to his mother. He looked back and waved for the last time as the both walked out of the black gate and entered the car, not knowing to the young boy's mind that, that was the last time they could talk to each other without lying._

* * *

Too much has happened to me within these past months. A strange girl ends up in my care, I find about my news about my older brother, May wants to see me and now my mother. My mind raced with thoughts of what could of possibly happen to my own mother. I didn't get to speak with her since we left and that was only a few days ago. And now here I am, in a bus going back to see her. I watched as many other passengers made their way onto the bus, hugging and leaving their loves ones as others were greeted by them. I watched as a young five year old boy was greeted by his mother that looked like she had returned from her trip from another town. His smile was so warming and the mother's look on her face was so cheerful.

Soon the image of my mother came into my mind, her warm smile and the caring sound you would hear out of her lips was so warming. I never told anybody that I missed my mother a lot after the journeys I've had. I have been gone for such a long time I never knew that how hurt and sad she would feel each time I would leave to a new region but I know that she is happy that I'm trying to fulfill my dream. Too bad I never got what I truly wanted. Soon I heard a call on my poke gears as I reached into my pockets to answer my call. The name shown on the screen was Dawn.

"Maybe to say goodbye." I replied as I answered the call. "Hello?"

"Ash!" Dawn called my name out quickly and in a panicked tone of voice. "Lyn is missing!" She told me, straight to the point. "I went to look for her now but she isn't here!"

"What?" I quickly stood up which gave attention to Amelia. "I'm going to look for her now." I rushed down to the entrance of the bus and Amelia came chasing behind as I ended the call.

"Where are you going?" Amelia asked as I glanced over my shoulder and saw a worried look all over her face.

"Lyn is missing and I need to find her!" I called out as I continued to get out of the bus. "The bus isn't leaving yet and since Dawn just called me now I'm sure Lyn isn't far."

"Okay then." She nodded. "I will call you when the bus is about to go. Please find her and come back, for mom's sake Ash." she looked at me, worried that she might lose me as well.

I nodded as I raced to one place I knew Lyn would go. I raced down the dark path covered by tall thick trees that were scattered everywhere. The only source I could as light was the full moon brightly glowing above of me. I knocked all the braches and other objects that were in my way. Soon I made my way into a clearing and there sat a young three year old child. Staring at the moon, sitting so still and so peacefully. I took a breath of relief and walk towards her and sat right next to her. I knew she would be at Cerulean Cape since it was the only place we came a lot in the last few days.

"You made us so worried Lyn." I watched her until she turned her head to me.

"Sorry." She smiled and looked up to the moon once more. "My birthday today." She soon added.

"Really?" I replied in a slight cheerful tone of voice. "How old are you?" I asked.

She turned to me and smile as she showed me five fingers. "Four." She grinned. I soon added with a laugh and closed one finger down. She looked at her hand which now held four fingers standing and soon laughed as well.

"Happy birthday then." I smiled as I looked towards the moon, thinking of what gift I could give to her. Soon an idea came into my mind. My thoughts gave me bad impressions of that something I treasure could just be a simple toy to her and lose it. But my heart told my otherwise, that she will treasure it as much as I would. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my half contest ribbon. I gazed at the golden center piece with only half my face could only been seen. "Here." I tapped her on the shoulder and showed her my half ribbon. "Hope you like your gift Lyn." I smiled, trying to convince her that it was just another ordinarily gift. She raised her small hands and grabbed the ribbon out of my hands. For the first time I would let anyone hold that ribbon other than me. I felt nervous and scared that she would treat it like a toy. After all she was four years old, not a eighteen year old, treasuring something he should of let go by now.

I knew that if I gave somebody else the only thing that reminded me of May it would help me to get closure rather than speak to hear personally. _"But why are you afraid to speak to her personally?" _My thoughts questioned but soon didn't get an answer to. I watched as Lyn tried to look for her reflection by using the golden center piece that held a pink and white ribbon on the right side of the golden center piece that resemble the sun. She looked into my eyes and then back on the ribbon.

"I give it back soon." She replied, breaking the silence between us. I didn't reply as I watched her admire the ribbon. Knowing that she would say that to me to make me feel better and happy.

I looked at the moon and the stars as the glowed brightly. My thoughts started to run through my mind as my memories with May back to me.

_"Hi there." My contest rival smiled. "I'm glad you came."_

_"No problem." I replied with a smile. "So you want to get to know me better?" I asked._

_"Yes I do." She replied. "You are such a skilled coordinator that I just had to get to know you better."_

_"I see." I replied. "Anyway my name is Ash Ketchum, I just started begin a coordinator two years ago." _

_"Well my name is May Maple."May began._

* * *

_"What about Ash?" Solidad requested. _

_I waited for her response. Like she had to think deep about Solidad's suggestion. She looked at Harley and then Drew, she kept looking at him while Drew glanced over his shoulder from time to time, gazing back at her. She soon looked back at Solidad who was waiting for her answer. _

_"What about it May?" I asked. I was eager to find out her answer as well. "I think it's a great idea." I added with a smiled._

_"Sure, why not?" May smiled back at me._

* * *

_Ash." May replied. "Do you hate forgetting who you really were?" _

_I didn't reply at first. I continued to use a long branch to poke and play with the fire as it cracked from time to time. I continued to poke the fire as I thought to myself if I could tell her about my deep problems._

_"Yes." I replied as I threw the remaining part of the branch into the fire. "I hate it because I can't remember who I use to be and remember that girl."_

_"Girl?" the brunette asked._

_"Dawn says that girl was the one that helped me win this ribbon and introduced me into contests in the first place." I replied as I looked into the ribbon, thinking to myself about how painful it was to forget the person who helped me get this ribbon._

_"And what if you meet her?" She continued to ask._

_"I would be so glad that I got to find her. At least maybe she could help me remember who I really am." _

* * *

_"What are you doing here?" I asked as he moved a few more boxes out of May's way. I looked into her eyes and noticed she was crying._

_"Hiding my feelings away." She replied as I continue to look at the wooden floor. "From an important person to me."_

_"May…" I said with a sad tone in my voice. "Come." I added as I offered my hand to her when May soon decided to look up to me. I was smiling down towards her. She soon grabbed my hand and I soon pulled her up towards my body. We were so close we could let our noses touch if we wanted to. _

_I was starting to feel uncomfortable and was surprise that May didn't push us apart, like she liked begin so close to me. I looked into her eyes and they showed as if, they held such deep secrets. I felt sad to see her in such a sad mood that I decided to cheer her a little. Just enough so I could see her smile. _

_"You know." I began, without moving. "I never notice how blue your eyes really are." I said as I moved closer that it looked like we were kissing. "Their sapphire." I whispered in her ear. _

* * *

_"May…" I added as I sat right next to her. ._

_"I came back here to win this year's grand festival for redemption. To find my old self that use to love contests. When I left Hoenn to come here for the first time I couldn't stop smiling. When I arrived to Sinnoh to compete in the Wallace Cup and lose to Dawn my winning streaks became rare that I can't remember the feeling of winning one." She said as I began a new topic. "But I always knew that one person back in a other region would be cheering on for me if he was here and say to never give up, but he wasn't. Even my rivals where here to help me cheer on, in the end they are my rivals, not my dearest friends I miss so much." _

_"So I'm not a friend but I rival eh?" I asked in a sad tone of voice and I looked at her. She was looking at the scene outside. "I don't see you like that May. I see you as a close friend of mine." I added as I felt like I had just been rejected of becoming the best pokemon coordinator known to earth._

_"You're…different." She replied without looking back at me. "In a way I find too hard to explain to you." She answered back. _

* * *

_"We better hurry." Dawn panicked. "She has a really high fever." _

_"What about the semi-finals today?" Mimi asked. "May is too sick to enter."_

_"The…finals are…"May began as she had a hard time to think and speak. "…will be on…tonight. I will be…fine by…then." She continued and soon lost her balance and fell onto her back. _

_I saw in May's eyes that she wanted to sit up on her own but her body refused to do so. Mimi, Dawn, Drew and I decided it was best if we placed May on my shoulders since Drew wasn't feeling great as well. I soon felt May slowly and softly wrapped her arms around my neck as she slowly found the confidence in her the rest her head on my shoulders. _

_"One day I will tell you…about you and me." She whispered in a low soft voice and closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. I looked at her but before I could reply she was already asleep. _

_"Are you trying to hide something from me May?" I asked. "I hope it won't hurt us in the end." I added as the five of us made our way out of the cave of Mount Silver._

* * *

_"I only gave them to you for only one reason." Drew stated and walked out of the hallway and onto the stage with Harley. _

_"I know what three roses mean when you give them to somebody special to them." I added as I walked to her and stood beside May. Soon I looked at her. "It stands for I love you." _

* * *

_"What if I was the missing girl from your past? How would you react?" _

_I replied in silence as my mind tried to accept what May told me. Even it was a question I felt like she was that missing girl from my past, but is she saying true? Would May lie something so important to me? I took my time and soon replied._

_"I would be angry at you for not telling me earlier." I answered back._

_"But do you ever think why I would hide the truth from you for such a long time?" She asked as I could hear she voice getting louder but she soon calmed down. "I mean if I told you when we first met, you wouldn't believe me. I knew the risks that were involved each day that past. I mean imagine that pain I could be holding, imagine how hard it would be not telling you earlier. Have you tried to think how badly I would have wanted to tell you that I was the girl from your past?" _

_"But did you ever think how I would deal with it? A person that really means a lot to me hides the truth from me a day longer. When I think about it now, it feels like you're only protecting yourself and hiding longer for not telling me." I replied back to her._

_"But the question is will you believe me? Will you trust me and will the friendship we share now will be the same after I tell you?" May asked. _

* * *

_"May…" I called her name as I found her the the small room that was darker than the rest of the rooms around. _

_"Go away!" She screamed in anger. Knowing that nobody would hear her since the room was further located than the rest. _

_"No!" I yelled back. "I'm not leaving you like this!" _

_"You kissed Dawn. You should be with her and not me." She began to cry._

_"Correction." I begun. "She kissed me."_

_"I…I don't care!" She yelled once more. "You like her, not me." May replied as she soon found a way to calm herself down. _

_I walked closer to her; not trying to think that she would push me away and run away from me again. I wiped all her wet tears away and brushed her brown fringe away from her face and clipped her orange clip on the right side of her hair._

_"Do you want to know what I said to you when we beat Drew and Harley in the semi-finals?" I asked in a calm manner. She didn't seem to have an answer so I continued. "I said that I like you." I smiled. _

_I looked into her eyes and saw that the rage and anger within them faded away and she calmed down as her eyes glimmered with hope. I soon showed her three white roses I planned to give to her later. She looked at the roses and faintly smiled at first, but it grew quickly and she wiped tears from her face once more. _

_"I…" She begun as she took other rose from my hands. "Love…" She added and took the last one. "You." she smiled and soon added. "Too."_

_My heart relaxed that same words I told her weren't a waste of time and effort. I couldn't help but smile and laugh at the little. For the first time in a long time I didn't have any care about my past. I just wanted to share more beautiful and wonderful memories with her. _

_The ones that I would remember and treasure forever._

If I only knew that my most treasure memories ended up the most painful I would have tried not to love her again. I hugged my knees and continued to re-live my memories with her. Her smile and the cheerful sound each time she laughed was so heartwarming, and each time she won a round in a contest I felt I won as well. Each time I felt sad I knew that she would cheer me up, even it didn't last long I would be glad she was there with me.

And her eyes just shined out of the rest. That time I looked into them for the first time the image of the girl became visible to me. The contest dress she wearied turned into a travel clothes, she wearied a red t-shirt with the top half black with a white mini skirt and black shorts that didn't past the knees. Her bandana became red and she had a yellow fanny-pack placed on her side. Her clothes might have changed for that moment but her eyes stayed the same.

Sapphire.

I closed my eyes and looked up at the night sky. I imagined that maybe; she could looking at the same sky I was looking at. It was hard to believe but I soon started to accept it. I didn't know what feelings I had for her but I knew that it was time.

Time to let all go, I knew the words I was about the say was the last time I would say it to her.

_"May…" _I muttered. _"I loved you." _I opened my eyes slightly. _"I will promise I will see you, for the last time." _

**End of chapter. **


	20. Chapter 20

****

Shippings in this chapter:

Pearlshipping, Slight Advanceshipping and Contest?

**Rating:** PG (K+)

Hello once more, well this chapter is quite sad and unexpected. very emtional, well for me. i shall let you guys be the judge for that. =D Anyway the questions about Lyn will also be answered in here. this chpater is just full of surprise. XD

~midnight

* * *

**Chapter twenty **

I sometimes wonder why this is all happening to me. What did I do wrong to receive what is happening to me? All I truly wanted back then was to recover my memories, but when I did I soon regretted it. Now here I lay next to my mother, peacefully asleep, and unknowing when she will wake up, or if she will wake up at all. I stood by the entrance of the doorway, with my back against the door as I watch my younger sister holding her hand tightly as she tried to stop the tears flowing down her cheeks. My mother, she was such a caring person and she never left my side while I had my coma for a year and here I am, coming to her aid too late. But each time I blame myself her words come into my mind, that it would be better if I would go and search for my memories then wait at her bedside.

Why do the good people die first? Why do the good things they do end up as a sin? Why are they blessed with such a dreadful curse?

I couldn't accept the scene my eyes was gazing at and decided to walk out of the room. That was the plan until I heard Lyn's soft sweet voice coming down the hallway of the hospital behind me. I turned around and saw her sweet warm smile as she came to embrace me. I was so glad Dawn decided to bring her here, back to Pallet. Lyn soon looked up to me. "I'm happy to see you again." she added with a smile. I patted her long black hair and smiled back. "So I'm I." I tried to smile to hide my real emotions from her. No child should see what I was going through. I looked up and saw Dawn coming towards me, everything was the same except she had cut her hair short and returned the yellow clips on the side of her hair, just like she use to do back in Sinnoh before we parted ways and Dawn leaving to Hearthome for a photo shoot for Buneary.

But something was wrong. The expression on her face seemed to show regret and disappointment. She soon walked up to me as I placed my hand on her shoulder with concern.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing." She placed her hand on top of mine and avoided looking into my eyes. I grabbed her chin and made her look back at me.

"I'm here for you Dawn. So please tell me." I started to be more worried the longer she didn't tell me what her problem was.

"Forgive me." She kissed me on the lips softly and walked into the room where my mother laid. Her kiss left me in confusion. When Dawn moved aside and walked to my mother's room there stood the girl I saw that I thought was only a ghost. Dawn's confusing kiss was out beaten just by her appearance.

"May?" I called out in shock. "What are you-" but I didn't bother to finish my sentence. She looked just the ghost did, pink and white cap, black vest and white singlet underneath, blue mini shorts with spiky white pockets on the outside and grey boots and the long brown hair. She continued to look at my with no expression, like our meeting she had practiced for a long time. Soon Lyn tugged my pants and I saw her holding the ribbon I gave to her as her birthday present.

"Thank you." She smiled. "But I don't need it." I slowly grabbed the ribbon out of her palm as I heard May's footsteps come closer to Lyn and me. I looked as she had her hands covering her mouth as her eyes began to water up. She looked at my half of the ribbon and looked back at me.

"You kept it after all this time?" She asked. her voice started to turn soft. "Why?" Tears began to run down her cheeks.

I looked away as I started to think of my answer, unsure if what I was going to say was right or what I truly felt about our relationship.

"Just because I let you go doesn't mean I'm giving up on you." I tighten my grip on the ribbon as I soon slipped the ribbon into my pocket.

"But what do we still have that you won't give up on?" she wiped her tears and decided not to look at me but at the floor instead, just like I was doing.

"The friendship." I found the courage to stop avoiding her and look straight at her and she soon did the same. I slowly lifted my hand so I could place it on her cheeks but my mind refused the idea and dropped back down. "My memories are nothing without our friendship." I saw May began to cry right in front of me but she didn't seem to bother to wipe them away. I tried once more to lift my hand closer to her face and this time my mind agreed with what my body wanted to do. I felt nervous as I wiped her tears away without permission. May opened her eyes and noticed that I was wiping her tears away.

"Please stop crying mommy." Lyn pleaded. I soon took my hand away from her face as I discovered another secret. I looked at May's face and Lyn. Why didn't I notice it before?

"You're her mother?" I asked. May replied with a simple nod. "Then that means you dropped her off to me that night?" I continued to ask eagerly but didn't receive a response. I was about to repeat my question until I heard Amelia scream our mother's name. I looked at May, hoping she would give my answer but I couldn't wait any longer and rushed to my mother's aid. I saw her struggling for air as I entered into the room. She was awake but I knew it wasn't for long. "Mom!" I cried as I grabbed her hand tightly as May and Lyn entered into the room, standing near the doorway. I felt Dawn placed her hands on my shoulders as I couldn't help but start to cry.

"Ash." She began with her out controlled coughing began to stop. "Please stop crying, you stronger than this." She turned her attention towards Amelia who could help but to keep on crying. "You too Amelia." My mother tried to smile but ended up coughing more. She looked to Dawn who was scared what was happening to my own mother. "Dawn, you have grown into such a wonderful woman, and a wonderful person to my son. I'm so glad you chose to be with him." Right after what she told to Dawn she looked at the doorway and saw May with her daughter, Lyn. "May, I never expect you here, but I'm glad I was wrong. I'm so happy to see you after so long." Lastly was Lyn. The young girl that May left in my care. "And your name?" My mother asked as Lyn came running to her bedside.

"Lyn." She replied in confusion. "Why are you sick?" the four year old asked my sick mother.

She laughed slightly and stretched her arm out to pat and run her finger through her long black hair. "You look like the granddaughter I always imagined to have, if only that was true." She smiled and looked back at me. "I never saw you cry like this before Ash, please stop." My mother requested.

"Please stop talking like you're going to die!" I pleaded. "We have already lost Dad and Alex. Please don't die as well. This is why I never wanted to find my memories four years ago because I wanted to stay by your side always!"

"But if you listened to me would you ever meet Alex or Amelia again?" Her voice started to fade. "I promised myself that I would make you; Amelia and Alex meet up again, with the smiles I last saw all all of you had. At least if I did that, I could be happy. Guess that will never happen." Tears started to build in her eyelids and quickly run down her cheeks.

"Stop Mom!" Amelia cried. "Please…"

"It's okay Amelia." She faintly smiled at her. "At least your still here for my Ashy boy." She chuckled softly as he started to cough once more and each time got worse and worse. She looked up and white ceiling right after she stopped coughing with her eyes half open. "Ash, Dawn and May, promise me this." She shifted her attention to the three of us. "Promise that you will remember the friendship you had and find happiness once…more." She closed her eyes as I felt her fingers drop and the sound of death echo in our ears. Her eyes closed as her head fell onto its side. I released my grip on my mother's hand and brushed her brown hair away from her face.

"Promise." And soon I walked out, unable to accept that my mother was gone, now with my father and Alex.

At least they were happy and together, unlike me.

* * *

_"I'm not leaving you like this!" I yelled as I refused what my mother asked me to do. "You want me to recover my memories by going to Johto? I won't Mom. Now that you can't walk you need me by your side!" I added as we debated the idea of me leaving to Johto. _

_"I'm not going to last any longer in this world. When that day comes I want you to recover your memories by then." She looked up to Misty who held the rails of my mother's wheelchair. "Do it for me." _

_"I won't and I never will!" I rejected her request. "What kind of son would leave their mother like this, now that she doesn't know when she is going to die? What if I did go to Johto and you past away without me by your side! I will never forgive myself when that happens!" I pleaded with my mother to change her idea._

_"I promise you that I will wait until you reach my bedside." She smiled. _

_"Please let me stay with you mom." I felt onto my knees, tried to asking the same question time after time._

_"Ash it's better if you do what your Mom wants you to do." This time it was Misty asking something from me. "Do it for her, before it's too late." _

_ I soon looked into my mother's eyes and saw how much it really meant for her for me to go to Johto and recover my memories. I soon stood up onto my own two feet. _

_"Fine I will go but I promise I will come back as soon as I get my memories back."_

_ Then she smiled back at me, a smile that never left my mind._

_

* * *

_

I didn't left my spot as I continued to cry, my mind tried to tell to stop but I just kept on going. I didn't really see the point of living now that my mother was gone. I sat in the corner of the prayer room with my arms hugging around my legs. Everything that I care about leaves me. No matter how much I plea for them to stay, they always end up leaving.

Why can't one of them stay?

With me?

"So this is why you didn't want to come with me to Johto." Dawn entered into the room and took a seat next to me. I continued to not response to her question. She sat silent before speaking to me again. "I understand now."

"Why do the people I care, leave me?" I asked, without begin bother to reply to Dawn's question. "Am I bad person for people I care so much to leave me?" I turned my attention from the floor to her. "Am I?" I stopped hugging my legs and turned my body to face her.

"You're not a bad person Ash!" Dawn quickly embraced me. I could quickly imagine her worried expression on her face. "Don't you ever tell yourself that!" She soon stopped and looked me in the eye. I could tell she was serious in what she had just said.

"Are you fighting?" Lyn's voice filled up the room as she entered the small prayer room with a pink envelope in her small hands. Dawn and I shook our heads to tell that everything was alright, even when it wasn't. She walked up to Dawn and held up the pink envelope. Dawn giggled at the attempt of Lyn trying to reach Dawn as she soon took the letter out of the four year old girl's grasp. "Mommy said to open it when we are gone." She smiled.

"Where are you going?" Dawn asked. She knew I was in no mood to ask anybody any questions.

"Me and mommy are going to stay with daddy in an ar-parrtt—mentt." Lyn tried to pronounce the word. "Mommy said we will meet again for one more time. What does that mean?" She asked. "Dawny?" She added with a plea.

"I don't know either." Dawn put up a smile in front of the child as she patted Lyn's long black hair. "Now you better go before mommy starts to look for you."

"It's alright Dawn. I'm already here." May entered into the room, my heart started to skip beats as I looked at her, I soon quickly shifted my attention away from her as my heart slowly return to its normal pulse. "Come here Lyn." May called out to her daughter. "Daddy Drew is waiting for you."

"Drew?" My shocked expression made me have no choice but to look at her. "You're with him now?" I watched her kneel down to Lyn's height and hug her before standing up and reply to my question.

"Yes." He soon held Lyn's left hand. "That letter will explain everything. I hope after this we meet again, everything between us will be fixed." She soon left the prayer room holding her daughters hand, heading towards the apartment Lyn had told us earlier. Dawn and I looked at each other as I soon nodded that it was best to see what the envelope contained and understand what May was trying to tell us. Dawn turned over the letter and lifted up the flap and inside was a white note. Dawn dropped the pink envelope beside her and unfolded the note that was inside.

It was the letter for May's and Drew's engagement party.

I stood up without saying a word where I was going and left the prayer room as I felt that Dawn knew it was best to leave me alone. I walked out of the building as heavy rained started to pour over me for no compete reason at all. My legs started to turn weak and collapsed as I splashed into a puddle of water, but I didn't really care as the water continued the run down my body. I didn't know how long I laid there and I didn't care. My life had now become bad to beyond horrible. Sometimes I wished I never wanted to become a Pokémon master. I heard the automatic doors of the hospital open and footsteps coming towards me.

"Please don't tell me you are going to die as well?" Amelia asked in the most depressed tone I've ever heard from her. "If you are can I join you?"

"I don't plan to die and if I tried I don't think I can." I continued to lie on the ground.

"Then please get up. I need my big brother right now. He is the only person I have left." I could tell she was about to cry. I did her request as I picked myself off the ground and saw her crying, even it was raining heavy you could still she her tears down her cheeks and quickly drying up. She soon ran up to me and continued to cry as she wrapped her arms around me. I wrapped my right arm around her waist as I placed my left hand on her head, softly patting it, making her feel safe and calm.

"We can get through this." I replied, trying to convince her that everything was alright; I even tried to convince myself that everything was going to be alright, but I didn't do a good job at that. I continued to pat her long brunette hair. "We are the only one's left. Let's try not to die." She soon looked up at me. She softly nodded. I faintly smiled at her, trying to show a little hope after what we have been through. She soon let go of me and started to walk back into the building, she looked over her shoulders and wonder why I wasn't coming in. I waved telling I would soon follow, which I did plan to do. As soon she walked into the building I looked up at the sky, the sky was grey all over and the rain showed no signs to stopping. "I hope your watching over us mom. " I soon continued. "And helping us get over this problem."

And soon after that I ran back into the building, hoping to not get any more wetter than I already was. Hoping that my mother heard my small request.

**End of chapter. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Shippings in this chapter:**

Pearlshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

Sorry for the delay, my 'best friend' Mr. writers block came back up, but he is gone. but i must admit, 21 chapters without him is a new record for me. anyway this chapter is quite sad. =( and emotional? Well after all, this is a romance/drama fanfiction. Enjoy and don't forget to R&R!

~midnight

* * *

**Chapter twenty one **

It was so silent that day, so silent that I couldn't hear my own thoughts yelling ideas of what my next move should be. Flashbacks of my past came as loud a bell and quickly flashed from memory to memory. Events I wished I never remembered. Everything that was happening around didn't help my mood at all. The field was empty, there everyone stood near her grave as I stood meters away under a tree so isolated from the whole field. Everyone I knew from my past journeys gathers up around my mother's dead body that was now, under the dirt. Where all the problems left behind can no longer reach her.

At least, she finally had peace.

The longer I stood away from the group the more reasons my mind came up of even begin here. I remember just this morning Dawn was persisting not letting me go. She knew the pain I was holding inside. The pain of my mother in the ground, in a place where I can no longer reach for her when I was in trouble or need her advice. It was now only me and Amelia left and we had no more excuses to not look after each other. Also there stood the girl I once had and maybe even, still have feelings for. May Maple with her fiancé Drew Blackthorn and Lyn. The words of accepting that May was getting married to somebody else were painful through my mind. Yet my feelings towards Dawn were just as strong as my feelings to May, four years ago. Only now did I realize I was living a very complicated lifestyle. A life full of confusion and pain of unable to accept that I will never get what was once mine. Soon my girlfriend, Dawn in a long black dress with her hair tied up with a black ribbon came up to my and tightly embrace me without saying anything to each other. I slowly lifted my arms and hugged her back.

I was really glad she was here with me right now.

She stopped and looked right at me with such a concerned expression all over her face. I had never seen her so worried about another person. She ran her fingertips down the side of my right cheek softly and soon stopped.

"You haven't been crying." She told me in a soft voice. "Why?"

"I've cried many times before." I replied as I grabbed her hand off my cheek. "I'm alright, really I am." And soon after, she grabbed my hand as we both slowly, made our way to the grave of my mother laid. In my hand I held small blue flowers; they had small blue petals with either a pale yellow or a gold yellow colour placed in the middle of the flowers. These flowers were called forget me nots. My mother would always buy these flowers each time we went to my father's grave. My father's body was lost at sea when I was too young to remember well. All I could remember that he was a caring man and always wanted to be with his children, he was one of the many reasons I wanted to become a Pokémon trainer back then. I placed the blue small flowers near the gravestone, near her name. "When you see dad, say hi for me okay?" My voice dropped to a whisper. I suddenly felt weak as I found it hard to continue speaking. I soon stood up and continue to walk away from my mother's grave with Dawn tagging along by holding my arm until I felt a small soft tug on my pants. I turned around to only find it was Lyn wearing a white dress with a black ribbon tied around her waist and with piggy tails in her hair with white ribbons holding them in place.

"Don't go." The look in her eyes showed me she was about to cry.

I kneeled down and patted her hair and showed her a small smile. To show there was nothing for her to worry about.

"But I have too, but before I go I have to give you something." I looked into my bag and pulled out a Teddiursa wooden figurine. Lyn's eyes shined with excitement. While May's and Drew's faces were left in confusion. "I found this with all the trophies I won in Sinnoh when I was out travelling. I can't really remember what this was doing in that pile but I know it's something important to me back then and still is now but I thought it's better if you have it and look after it for me." I winked at the young four year old. "Promise you can look after this for me. Think it as a late birthday gift okay?"

"Okay." She smiled at me with excitement as I handed her the wooden figurine. She soon turned around to her parents and held up high the gift I had just given her. "Look Daddy and Mommy!" She cheered. "Look what Mr. Ketchump gave me." She soon laughed right after her statement. Drew slightly smirked at his daughter's voice and picked her off the ground and into his arms. "You sure gave him a great nickname." Drew softly chuckled. "Why didn't I think of that before back four years ago?"

"I'm glad you didn't." I muttered to myself with an annoyed look over my face. I soon sighed right after as Dawn and I continued to walk away from the group to let my mind think more clearly.

* * *

It felt like hours when the occasion finished and everyone was heading their way back to their homes as I laid my back on the tree trunk of the tree as I watched the sunset hid behind the hills. I watched as its soft orange colour spread across the sky. I could hear the wind rushing through my hair as I continue to gaze at the sunset, using such a sight to pass the time. Soon I looked over my shoulder and saw May in a long black dress with a red rose clipped in the right side of her long brunette hair. I decided to stand on my own two feet and face her. I could tell there was something she wanted to say to me. Just a few feet behind her stood Drew with his hands placed on his daughters shoulders. Then after staring at the two I felt a sudden embrace on me, I quickly found out it was May.

"Wha?" I tried to pronounce but my lips failed to deliver.

"Sorry." She muttered into me ear. "I wanted to say that before I left out running of your hospital room four years ago." She embraced me slightly more tightly. "And I wanted to hug you like this as well." My heart raced right after her statement. My lips froze as my mind went blank. I had never found myself so helpless before. I could tell in Drew's jade eyes that he was getting uncomfortable by the scene and so was I as I could also see how painful it was for Dawn to see May embracing me.

As much as I wanted to let go, I couldn't. As if I wanted May to hug me for a very very long time. I fought against my body's will to embrace May back and softly pushed her off of me. It felt like I had just torn a muscle. It became so painful, so quickly.

"Dawn and I will be coming to your engagement party. But I won't stay for long." I paused slightly and continued. "I have an assignment I have to do over there."

"I…I understand." May nodded with a soft blush over her cheeks. "And after that, it will be all over?" I could sense sadness from her after that statement as she stared down at her feet.

"…Yeah." I replied with a slight sadness within me as well.

"Ash, back than all I wanted to be was your perfect girlfriend. That's why I kept the secret from you for so long. I wanted to change to become your perfect girlfriend." She looked up to me. "I'm sorry I couldn't be that perfect girlfriend for you."

"May, you were already perfect the way you were. You had no reasons to change. I liked you for the way you are and…" I felt a sense of embarrassment covering all over my body. I didn't want to finish my sentence but my lips kept on moving. "…and I still…do." I quickly took a few steps back right after I saw May's expression of surprise over her face.

"Ash…do you…still…love me?" May stuttered the words in confusion.

I just shook my head in confusion and ran. I was in such confusion of what was happening to me that I didn't care where I was heading. I continued to close my eyes and only accepted to open them when I felt like I was far away to think by myself. When I felt I was all alone I opened my eyes and saw I was totally isolated from the rest of the group. I was only a few feet away from a cliff. A cliff that gave me a familiar aura, like I had came back here for the same reason before. I walked to the edge of the cliff and saw the waves crashing into the huge rocks below. They roared and crashed many times before until I heard somebody calling my name.

"Ash no!" I turned around to only find out it was my girlfriend, Dawn. Running as fast as she can towards me. She made her pace slower as she approached me as she wrapped her arms around me once more. "Don't die, don't die." She repeated in fear. "It's all my fault, I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?" I embraced Dawn right after. "You're scaring me."

"I shouldn't be so jealous. It's my entire fault. I'm so sorry. This wouldn't happen if it wasn't up to me." I could tell she was crying just by the tone of her voice and as she held me tighter. "Don't go please." She pleaded.

"Dawn, please calm down." I raised my hand and slowly brushed her long navy hair. Soon after I could feel her arms go slightly less tight.

"This place…this is where your accident happened." She continued to cry. "And it was my entire fault!"

* * *

_ The wind screamed as the water below roared as they crashed into the rocks over and over again. The young ten year old coordinator wrapped her arms around her, treating her arms like a jacket that would keep her warm. The wind blew in all directions but the young girl didn't care. What her eyes saw back at Pallet, their closeness, how happy they were together. She knew that the happiness she showed him. was something she knew she could never give him. No matter how long they were together. No matter how close they would get. She knew there would be no room in his heart for her._

_"Why can't you pick me?" She questioned herself. "Why can't you notice me like you always did? Ever since she came here to Pallet all you see is her." She quickly rose to her feet with anger. "Why don't you notice me anymore? Why can't you feel the same way back to me?" and suddenly the young coordinator fell back to her feet. "Just one look at me and a warm smile." Tears began to run down her cheeks. "That's…all I ask from you."_

_"Dawn?" a young boy called out the girl's name. She looked over her shoulder and saw it was the boy she was deeply in love with. A boy that would never know how much she meant to him, somebody that would only see her as a friend._

_"Ash…" She picked herself from the untrimmed grass that she was once sitting upon. "Why aren't you with her?"_

_"You mean May?" The young pokemon trainer asked. "I didn't want her to get sick and cold so I went alone to look for you." Ash smiled. "I was so worried about you." He scratched his thick black hair afterwards._

_"Me?" She softly asked. "After all this time you noticed?" a faint smile grew onto her face._

_"Notice what?" the boy asked with a dense tone in his voice. Full of confusion of what his friend was trying to tell him._

_"I was wrong then." The young girl looked down to her feet with rejection that the boy she loved had not understood what she was trying to him. "You don't love me as you love May." She turned her back as Ash walked close to her, also near the edge of the cliff, both side by side each other._

_"Dawn I don't understand you." He held her hand softly with such concern of his friend. "Please come back with me, back to the others. Everyone is worried about you."_

_"What's the point?" she turned her attention from the roaring waves and towards Ash. "Ash, I love you!" She yelled, slightly annoyed that the boy didn't catch on that what she was saying to him was that she was in love with him. "Why can't you see that?" She cried as she slightly stopped the edge of the cliff, all covered in mud which gave the young girl unbalance and head down towards the rocks and open ocean below._

_ As the girl screamed in fear that she was going to die, a tight hand grasped her wrist. She felt her body rise back to the edge of the cliff. As soon the girl was back onto the edge of the cliff she saw the boy she was in love was missing. Soon after looking around she soon discovered that where she last saw Ash standing was also the final place she would see him. Where the boy was standing was a huge piece of the cliff's edge was missing. She looked down and tried not to think the worse._

_ The man she was in love sacrifice himself to save his best friend._

_

* * *

_

"I should of just accept that you loved May and all you would see in me, was your best friend. If I did that I wouldn't have to see you in such pain." She took her arms away from my body. "I shouldn't be so selfish!" she yelled as she quickly walked away from me and headed away from my sights. I wanted to call out her name but the confusion consumed my will to speak out her name. I knew right after the accident Dawn told me, was the earliest memory of the event. Remembering her calling out my name that faded into May's voice as I continued to fall down the cliff. Just in order to save Dawn from dying that night. As I continued to sort out the confusion in my mind I didn't notice that I had taken a few steps back and before I knew it I was falling down the same cliff twice.

That was the plan until I felt somebody grabbed my hand and bring me back up towards the cliff. As soon I got back onto the ground I was surprise that it wasn't Dawn or May that saved me.

It was Drew instead.

"So are you planning to relive the accident again hm?" he replied in his usual annoying tone of voice. As he was on one knee after helping me back up.

"I was just thinking." I replied back to Drew in the same manner. "So why are you stalking me?" I soon sat down onto the grass. "Is that your new job these days? Randomly popping up when trouble strikes?" I teased.

"Same old Ash Ketchum." He sighed. "Picking on his rivals and breaking girl's hearts."

"What?" I replied in shock. "That's not true." I grumbled.

"Oh really?" Drew asked as he soon stood up on two feet and offered his hand to me. "Do you really want me to go into detail with that?" I sighed as his questions as they soon got more annoying. I soon accepted his offer to get me back onto my feet. We stared at each other in annoyance and he simply flicked his fringe and walk away. When he was a few feet away from him did I found the courage to yell back at him.

"Why did you save me just now?" I yelled at May's fiancé.

"Because." He turned around to face me. "Because I won't be able to handle to see my fiancé crying over somebody like you. Somebody who only likes to break the hearts of people that care for him!" then he stormed off annoyed as I continued to repeated the words Drew had just called over to me in my mind.

_"Somebody who only likes to break the hearts of people that care for him!"_

It was only that day did I realize how right Drew was.

That I found it horrible to call myself their friends if I only thing I knew was to hurt them than rather be a true friend towards them.

**End of chapter. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Shippings in this chapter:**

Pearlshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

This chapter? well one of the remaining secrets are revealed, just one while another rises! yay! xD

~midnight

* * *

**Chapter twenty two**

"Poetry, Poetry and..." I repeated to myself as I flicked book by book titled about poetry. Soon my eyes soon grabbed attention to a red thick book with no title. I flicked to a few pages and found more annoying poetry. I threw the book over my shoulders and sighed. "And more poetry." I looked at the huge bookshelf. "Isn't there anything here that doesn't have to do with poetry?" Silence filled in the room before I sighed once more.

"Hey there Ashy boy!" Gary greeted me as he threw his left arm over my shoulder adding one of his untrusting grins.

"If you are going to date my sister, she isn't here." I soon grabbed a thick book from the selves to only be disappointed it was another of Professor's Oak poetry books.

"On the topic of dating." Gary began to think of a few ideas which I was afraid to know what they were about. "What about Dawn instead?" Gary suggested which by my guess was either a joke or him wanting to cheat with my girlfriend. I replied simply by slamming his face with the book I was holding. I could feel Gary had already fainted towards the ground.

"I doubt that Gary." I turned around holding a box full of ripped up books with ripped pages and covers. "Now leave before somebody else wonders why you're here."

"Ash!" I heard Dawn call from the other end of the room. Wondering what was Gary doing on the floor and me holding a box filled with such old poetry books. "What is happening here?" She panicked as she rushed to Gary's aid instead of mine.

"He wanted to have an affair with you." I cut the story short. Dawn's face was filled with shock as she quickly stole the box out of my hands and threw them all over Gary. Never did I guess that Dawn had a quick temper. I could just imagine Gary muttering the word 'liar' to me and that he would do something horrible nasty to me when all the books he was under were removed. On the top of the books I saw a letter. A letter that seemed to been opened once already. The envelope was wrinkled and the lid of it was already wide open. As Raichu started to remove the books on top of my rival and Dawn going outside to calm herself down, I decided to grabbed the letter and read it where nobody was around. I walked into my room, which was slightly isolated from the lab. I lay on my back on the bed and began to read.

_ Dear Ash._

_ I'm writing this letter in tears. By the time you would read this letter, it would be already too late, the relationship between us, the night we share together. It is all over. What happened between us, it feels like a dream. All the good times we shared together, they were all too good to be true. Now you know that I was the girl you had been looking for ever since your accident. I bet you wished you never found out it was me, after the pain you gained by finding out. There are so many things I want to tell you but, after what happened between us and the pain we both have gained, I don't think you would like to find out. But there is one that you have to find out, sorry if I couldn't tell you in person about this. I truly hope you understand. That night you found a little girl with long black hair, she calls herself by her nickname, "Lyn." I bet you are still wondering who left her there. Well it was me. _

_ Her name isn't Lyn as you have read before. I'm her mother and her father, is you Ash. Her full name is Ashlyn, Ashlyn Maple. A few months after we broke up did I only found out we were having a child together. I wanted to tell you but Dawn said it was best if we didn't talk to each other. I even told about us having a child together but she told me that I was using our child to gain you back. I could tell in her eyes she was about to cry and not wanting to accept of letting you go. I wanted to tell you every time Drew and I would past the Kanto region for our contests. But events such as Dawn blocking me off, or if Dawn wasn't there you would be out of your lab either doing research or visiting your mother. It soon took me nearly fours years to be able to drop your child there with you. It was the only way I knew for you to spend time with her without Dawn knowing. _

_ Now you would be thinking if what I'm writing now is true. They are true and the time we spend together in Johto can prove that for you. I can tell that Dawn would probably not tell you and about my pregnancy with Ashlyn. I don't think she ever will until you ask her. Please don't get angry with her by not telling you and about our child. She has her reasons behind it. Like my secret about, me begin your missing girl from your past. I want to say this for the last time._

_ I love you. I hope you haven't forgotten that. _

_-May_

I dropped the letter to the ground, my body lying still from what my mind had read off the paper. After the night we shared together, never did I guess it would lead me to becoming a father. I grabbed my pillow and covered my face. Not knowing how to face everyone or myself even. Memories of meeting Lyn rushed into my mind suddenly, leaving myself in more confusion that I had expected.

_"And her parents?" She asked as she grabbed a brush from the benched and brushed Lyn's hair._

_"I looked around for them, but I couldn't see them." I sighed._

_

* * *

_

_"Mommy and Daddy need me. I have to go." Lyn stated. Soon she turned towards the door and jumped to reach the doorknob._

_I sighed and walk over the Lyn and placed my hand on her shoulder and knelled down to her height which made her turn towards me. "It's raining. Mommy and Daddy will be more worried if you became sick because of the rain."_

_"But they will be sad without me." Lyn pleaded._

_Lyn cute little voice couldn't help me but to smile and rubbed her long black hair. "They will be sadder if they find out that your sick. Do you want mommy and daddy to worry about you and find out your sick?_

_"No."_

_"Then can you stay here until we find your mommy and daddy?"_

_"Okay Mr. Ketchump." Lyn smiled. Telling she couldn't pronounce my surname right. I sweat dropped at the original nickname and smiled and soon laughed. Lyn soon laughed with me. Soon we both stopped and Lyn had a curious looked on her face. She walked closed to me and rubbed my hair around. "Your hair is very thick Mr. Ketchump." I smiled and rubbed her hair long black hair as well._

_

* * *

_

_"You're a daddy now?" Gary asked shocked. "Didn't know you and Dawn were that…"_

_"I'm not a dad." I replied slightly annoyed. I knew what Gary was about to say. "I found her alone a few days back and since then we have been trying to find her parents."_

_

* * *

_

_"Lyn?" I asked as I walked into the room. "Why are you crying?" I sat next to her and brushed her long black hair._

_"I miss my daddy." Lyn cried. "And mommy too." She sat up and faced me. I could tell at her face she wanted to talk more, but her sadness of her missing her parents was too deep for her to say any more._

_"It's alright." I replied as I wiped her tears away. "We will find them soon."_

_"Really?" Lyn asked._

_"Yes." I nodded._

_

* * *

_

_"So this is Cerulean Cape?" I asked as we both walked up a slight steep hill. The view of the whole city could been seen and the sunset view turned even more beautiful_

_"Yeah it is. I come here around this time to think." We stood near the edge, enough to see the city without getting ourselves in danger. Misty turned around to softly pat Lyn's head as she continued to sleep. "Are you sure you want to give her back?" She continued to stroke Lyn's long black hair. "She seems attached to you so quickly within a few short weeks."_

_"Amelia told me that it will hurt even more if I continued to keep Lyn with me. I'm sure her parents are already looking for her." I replied as I brushed Lyn's hair away from her face. "I'll just treasure our memoires together. That's good enough for me."_

_"You two look so related." Misty looked into my eyes and onto Lyn's face. "As if, you were made to be together." She turned her attention back to me. "We better head back to town and show her to police Jenny, she will know what to do after that." Soon she started to make her way down the hill until I thought of a question to ask her._

_

* * *

_

_"Ash!" Dawn called my name out quickly and in a panicked tone of voice. "Lyn is missing!" She told me, straight to the point. "I went to look for her now but she isn't here!"_

_"What?" I quickly stood up which gave attention to Amelia. "I'm going to look for her now." I rushed down to the entrance of the bus and Amelia came chasing behind as I ended the call._

_"Where are you going?" Amelia asked as I glanced over my shoulder and saw a worried look all over her face._

_"Lyn is missing and I need to find her!" I called out as I continued to get out of the bus. "The bus isn't leaving yet and since Dawn just called me now I'm sure Lyn isn't far."_

_

* * *

_

_"Please stop crying mommy." Lyn pleaded. I soon took my hand away from her face as I discovered another secret. I looked at May's face and Lyn. Why didn't I notice it before?_

_"You're her mother?" I asked. May replied with a simple nod. "Then that means you dropped her off to me that night?" I continued to ask eagerly but didn't receive a response. I was about to repeat my question until I heard Amelia scream our mother's name. I looked at May, hoping she would give my answer but I couldn't wait any longer. _

_

* * *

_

_"Lyn." She replied in confusion. "Why are you sick?" the four year old asked my sick mother._

_She laughed slightly and stretched her arm out to pat and run her finger through her long black hair. "You look like the granddaughter I always imagined to have, if only that was true." She smiled._

_

* * *

_

_"When you see dad, say hi for me okay?" My voice dropped to a whisper. I suddenly felt weak as I found it hard to continue speaking. I soon stood up and continue to walk away from my mother's grave with Dawn tagging along by holding my arm until I felt a small soft tug on my pants. I turned around to only find it was Lyn wearing a white dress with a black ribbon tied around her waist and with piggy tails in her hair with white ribbons holding them in place._

_"Don't go." The look in her eyes showed me she was about to cry._

_I kneeled down and patted her hair and showed her a small smile. To show there was nothing for her to worry about._

_"But I have too, but before I go I have to give you something." I looked into my bag and pulled out a Teddiursa wooden figurine. Lyn's eyes shined with excitement. While May's and Drew's faces were left in confusion. "I found this with all the trophies I won in Sinnoh when I was out travelling. I can't really remember what this was doing in that pile but I know it's something important to me back then and still is now but I thought it's better if you have it and look after it for me." I winked at the young four year old. "Promise you can look after this for me. Think it as a late birthday gift okay?"_

_"Okay." She smiled at me with excitement as I handed her the wooden figurine._

They all faded from my mind as soon I heard footsteps enter into the room. I could tell who it was just by the pace of them. The sound of the footsteps soon stops, I peeked using the small gap of the pillow to see feet with black heels. There was only one person here that wearied black heels. She knelled down and picked up the letter, only to place it at the side table near the bed. We had a few minutes of silence between us until she spoke.

"I'm guessing you knew already?" she asked without a confident tone in her voice. The pillow was still on my face, refusing to look at her with all the mixed emotions I was having.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her. "Why didn't you tell me that May was pregnant with my child four years ago!" I threw the pillow off my face to talk to her. I felt a sudden sting of anger towards her. "Four years without begin a proper father to my daughter! How could you keep that away from me?"

"I didn't want to lose you..." Her voiced began to trail off.

"I don't want Lyn to go what I went through." I sat at the edge of the mattress. "To be raised without a father!" I soon stood onto my two feet quickly. Still furious about the secret Dawn had hid from me for four years.

"I was just protecting you from getting hurt again!" She yelled. "I love you Ash and I don't want anything bad to happen to you." I could sense in her voice that she was about to cry.

"If you really loved me then you should have told me as soon you knew. You should have known better that I would never leave you because I love you Dawn!" I made my way to the entrance of the door. I looked over my shoulder and saw Dawn still standing there, the same spot to where he had come in. "I'm going ahead to Petalburg. My daughter needs me." I walked out of the room, leaving Dawn behind. Even though it was painful to leave my girlfriend in that state I needed to think to myself away from her after what she hid from me and I wanted to be a father to Lyn. My mind had accepted that May and I would never be together but my heart told my differently. I tried to convince myself that I didn't want to become a third party and be the reason of May and Drew's breakup. After all we were in love with each other four years ago. Everything can change within that time. Even feelings to each other can fade away like the event had never happened.

* * *

"Ash please wait!" I knew who it was already. I continued to refuse to see her as I waited at the edge of the port.

Lining up for aboard the cruise. I was wearing my usual casual clothes. I was wearing my light blue jacket with the end of the sleeves tipped in dark blue. I had a long white zipper going right through the middle and I was wearing grey jeans with a pair of new red sneakers. The top half of my jacket was dark blue with two black lines going across my chest, one nearby my shoulders and the other was slightly lower. I also had a new cap with the back half red as the front was white with a blue poke ball design centred in the middle. I decided to leave my lab coat back at the lab since I had told the other professor's I was off on a holiday, to calm myself down before returning to my job. I brought my usual team back with me. All of them were back in their balls place in my bag which the strap was across my chest as the bag itself laid on the right side of my hip. It had a white and dark blue colours place on the front.

"Ash!" Dawn called for me. I looked up to her and saw her coming towards me, riding on her Togekiss. I didn't want to be any ruder to her so I decided to wait for her to land. When she did she came up running to me. She took a breath in before telling her message to me. "You forgot this." She flashed two tickets to the Hoenn region. "I need to go with you." She replied, unconvinced with her last statement. She spoke once more before I could even reply. "I know I shouldn't lie about your daughter and I know you need your space. But this is the last boat that leave to Hoenn, the next one leaves in two days. May asked me to arrive early so I could help her with the wedding plans. But once we get on I promise to stay far away from you until you're ready to face me again as your girlfriend." Dawn soon bowed in front of me. Treating like I was some kind of god or something. "Is that alright?" she soon lifted her body up and faced me.

"Sure." I grabbed one ticket from her hands and showed it before getting aboard and soon enough I was aboard the cruise boat and like Dawn promise she was nowhere to be seen, keeping her promise of giving me space to myself before facing her and accepting her as my girlfriend once more.

I made my way to the end of the boat, where my hometown started to fade from my sights and the endless ocean began to engulf the same town. Water type Pokémon rested on the calm parts of the water as flying type Pokémon flew over them. It was such a calm sight to see. I had Raichu by my side as we both waited for something interesting to happen.

"What is this?" A voice called from behind. The voice was a guy so I knew it wasn't Dawn. I gazed over my shoulder and saw it was a guy, around my age. He wore a black jacket, nearly similar to mine but had no zipper going down in the middle. The ends of his sleeves where a crimson red and he worn violet cargo pants, his shoes had the same colours as his jacket. His hair was lavender purple and his long hair just touched his shoulders. His eyes had a dull grey colour to them as he stared at me like he had issues with me. I tried to go through my memory banks as I felt like I knew him. But nothing came up. "I never expected for you to evolve that rat of yours." He slightly mocked at his statement. I knew he was talking about my Raichu.

"Do I know you?" I asked the boy. I still tried to remember who he was. My best guess he could have been some sort of angry rival of mine back in my travels as a pokemon trainer.

"You got to be joking? You don't remember me at all?" he gave a serious annoyed look to me. Soon I saw Dawn passing by with her Togekiss by her side. Showing no intension of to see me. She soon saw the boy with the lavender hair as well. Which made her stop in her tracks. The boy looked over his shoulder and saw Dawn. He turned his back on me and faced her. "I see your still travelling with this idiot here." He pointed towards me with his thumb over his shoulder and soon looked back to Dawn who was slightly annoyed but you really couldn't tell by her expression on her face. "And I see you had a new haircut as well and I'm glad you got rid of the miniskirt you always wear in Sinnoh." He placed his hands in his pockets.

"It was a dress jerk!" Dawn replied in anger. "After all these years you still haven't changed!" She added with Togekiss trying to calm her trainer down."And why are you here anyway?" she pointed at him with her left hand as her right was placed on his right hip.

"Because I can." He replied in an arrogant tone. He looked at Dawn's Togekiss. "And I see you still have this weak little Pokémon." He looked back up at her. "You never did have strong pokemon."

"Why you little..." Dawn grinned her teeth together. I knew how mad she could get and I knew it was best just to watch rather than help. She grabbed out Togekiss's poke ball. "Let's battle right now!" She yelled.

"It's your lost." The boy sighed as he threw his poke ball into the air. The light collided with the ground to form one of his Pokémon, Drapion.

"It's more like yours. Take the stage Togekiss!" Togekiss came onto the battlefield with a confident smirk on its face.

"Wait." The trainer remarked. "Let's make this battle more interesting by making a deal." Dawn just crossed her arms. Annoyed that her battle with the boy was delayed but she seemed to agree with the boy's idea. "If I win, I will join you like you asked earlier but if you win, I won't."

"Why can't you just come?" Dawn whined. "And it's not fair that if I win you won't come."

"That's the deal little trouble some girl." The arrogant trainer slightly mocked. "I just want to have fun by defeating you in a battle."

"You were always so heart less!" Dawn screamed. "Okay let's go Togekiss. Let's start off with Aura Sphere!" She pointed towards Drapion.

"Intercept with Cross poison!" the boy yelled as the huge dark and poison type pokemon ran towards the ball of aura and soon destroyed it with a powerful poison type attack, simply by forming its arms in a "x" position and releasing it's power. The ball of aura vanished into tiny sparkles, nearly acting like glitter. Both pokemon started each other in the eye. Refusing to be defeated so early. Raichu and I sighed.

"This isn't good." I muttered to myself. "I hope Dawn wins." Praying that my last statement would come true, hopefully.

**End of chapter. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Shippings in this chapter: **Pearlshipping. Minor Ikari and Coma?

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Chapter twenty three**

"Aura sphere again!" the flying type soon flew up high into the sky and opened its mouth. A blue neon sphere soon appeared in its small mouth. I watched as the boy made no move until the blue sphere was heading towards Drapion's direction.

"Dodge it!" hr commanded his poison type. I watched as the two battled each other. The more I watched the more the boy with the lavender hair became familiar to me. The boy's Drapion quickly shifted to the right. Making Dawn's move useless as it smashed into tiny fragments of aura as it hit the wooden deck. "Now poison sting!" he remarked as his Pokémon opened its mouth wide and release numerous amounts of tiny strings covered in poison.

"Safeguard quick!" Dawn called out with her voice raised up high. Her flying type soon cooed its name out gently and a light transparent blue aura shield covered its body. The tiny fragments of poison string clashed into Togekiss but it didn't seem to affect it much. Only enough damage taken to her was landing onto its feet.

"So I'm guessing that safeguard made the move slightly useless as it lessens the chances of status ailments to affect the user." I looked down to Raichu. My long time partner nodded saying that I was right in what I said. "Shows how much I study these days doesn't it?" I chuckled. I soon gave my attention back to the battle.

"Sky attack Togekiss!" Dawn pointed up to the skies as her opponent continued to not command any moves. Its body began to glow a bright white colour as it flew more up towards the clouds. Still, her opponent didn't call out a move. "Now!" Dawn added as Togekiss flew down quickly from the skies and aiming to release its power on her opponent.

"Hyper beam now Drapion!" the trainer called out unexpectedly. The Pokémon opened its mouth wide open at released a intense powerful beam attack at point blank range as Togekiss was nearly compete in landing her attack. Togekiss was pushed back and crashed into the ground. Drapion was unable to attack as Togekiss struggled to stand onto it own two feet. Dawn cheered for her flying and normal type Pokémon to not give in. I continued to watch as two of the most powerful moves had just done a head to head clash to each other.

"Hyper beam is more powerful than Sky attack. So I guess that's why Togekiss's Sky attack wasn't powerful enough to intercept hyper beam." I sighed and placed my hands onto my waist. I looked down to Raichu. "I think we are going to have a friend travelling with us." I sighed once more. Disappointed that I had to travel with a heartless man. I glanced back and saw the boy's Drapion able to regain movement as Togekiss still had trouble standing onto its own feet. It shook and trembled as it struggled to stand onto his two feet. The young boy smirked as he pointed out to Dawn's Pokémon.

"Hyper beam once more!" he called out. I was shocked that he was such a powerful move once more aimed at Togekiss. Once was enough as Togekiss was unable to even stand onto her own feet. If she endured other hit Togekiss wouldn't be able to battle or fly for weeks. I glanced down at Raichu and he nodded. I knew he was thinking the same as I was.

"Stop Drapion with thunder Raichu!" I called out which gained the attention of both Dawn and her opponent. My Raichu called out its name as it released a powerful electric type attack right at Drapion. It landed a direct hit onto Drapion. Stopping his attack aimed at Togekiss. Suddenly his name came into his mind as soon his looked me in the eye. "Stop this battle now Paul!" Silence grew between us.

"So you do remember me after all." He returned his Pokémon back into its ball. "So I guess I won since I would until you interrupted my battle." He replied in his normal cold tone of voice. He walked up to Dawn who was next to her flying type who was back onto her two feet. "After this event thing your inviting me to, I'm gone. Happy?" I watched as I saw one of Dawn's happiest smiles in a long time.

"No words can express how happy I will be when you're gone." She continued to smile. "If only the invitation didn't say invite one guest than I would never have to see your horrifying face ever, I mean just look at your eyebrows." Dawn teased with her smile turning into a cheeky and teasing smile. I could just tell the two of them were going to make my journey to Hoenn interesting. Paul growled back at her.

"I swear the next time I see that plastic face of yours I will melt it with one of my Pokémon's flamethrower so I don't have to see that disgusting smile of yours and hear your squeaky voice every time you open your mouth." Paul gave one of his usual very annoyed glares. I had never seen people exchange death treats like that. Soon after their exchange of treats Paul walked off as Dawn helped her flying type Pokémon. Still laughing at her statement to Paul. I soon walked up to Dawn which surprised her slightly as she never imagined me begin so close to her after our argument back at the lab.

"So I'm guessing he doesn't know about us." I placed my bag down onto the deck and pulled out a hyper potion. The top was white as the rest of the bottle a transparent pink, same went with the nozzle. The medicine inside kept moving every time I moved it. I kneeled down and pressed the handle and came out the medicine that would help Togekiss's wounds go away. Togekiss whined a little but she knew it was for her own good.

Silence grew quickly between us as I continued to heal Togekiss. I found it a hard time near her since the fact that she hid from me that I had a daughter still hadn't sunk in yet. Also my ex, May didn't inform me either when she came to visit at the hospital. But even what happened I still couldn't stay angry at both of them. My heart began to skip a few beats the more I got into it. An image of May came into my mind. Her warm cheerful smiles and her stunning sapphire eyes flashed into my mind. A scene of where she was wearing a light summer white dress with a straw hat on top with a bright yellow bow place at the right. We were holding hands as we walked down the beach as the sand went through our toes as the water just slightly touched our feet. The sky spread a warm summer sunset scene as we were soon running down the beach smiling and laughing. I could hear her laughter echoing in the background.

As soon as I started to enjoy myself with May around her image soon faded into Dawn. My girlfriend. She was wearing the same outfit as May but instead of running we were walking down the beach with a cloudless spring night sky above us. We were both smiling and both having a great time. And my heart pulse beat faster and faster each time I was closer and longer with either of them. The sound of me dropping the hyper potion woke me up and returning me back to reality. I blinked a few times and saw Togekiss fully healed and Dawn with her worried look on her face.

"Ash?" She asked. I replied with silence. I looked at her and May's face flashed in front of me and then returning back to Dawn. I quickly moved back as my mind gave me random flashbacks of my good times with May and Dawn. I had no idea what was happening to me as I ran right past her and into one of the cabins that left the door open. I really didn't care who it was. I would just think of some random excuse when they came in and found me in their room and not them. I was hitting the wall hard, unable to understand what was happening to me. I even felt tears running down my face which I never would expect I would shed.

Soon footsteps filled into the room as I quickly turned around. Ready to face the owner of the cabin room and thinking of a good excuse on why I was in their room and convince them I wasn't a robber or anything else.

"What are you doing in my room?" Paul placed his hands into his pockets. Giving one of his annoyed stares. I could still tell he was still annoyed after Dawn teasing him.

"Um, I got lost?" I asked, but I felt that wasn't going to do the trick of convincing him.

"So you got so lost and you're crying about it?" he pointed towards the door. "The door is right there idiot." He stated with a harsh tone in his voice. "Can't be that hard?"

I wiped my tears away quickly. Still embarrassed that an eighteen year old professor is crying about two girls. Two girls that I have a hard time to accept since I would someday, have to turn one down. My heart sank down even lower about the concept and walked past Paul and reached to the entrance of the door until I heard him call my name out.

"It's about Dawn and you, isn't it?" he questioned as he turned around to face me. I soon did the same. Surprised that he was talking to me without the usual arrogant tone in his voice. I looked away annoyed.

"And why do you care?" I glared at him with the corner of my eye.

"It's just I never seen you so down and weak before." He continued to stare at me with no concern. "I can tell it's not about you begin a trainer Professor Ketchum." He faintly grinned, but it was hard to tell if it was a grin at all or my eyes playing tricks on me again. "It's about your feelings."

"And since when did you become a love expert?" I pouted with my arms crossed and took my attention away from him. "Please don't tell me you have been hanging around Brock all this time?" Paul glared at me so I knew it was a no. "And so what about my feelings? Let me deal with my relationship with Dawn alone." I looked away from him.

"Dealing with your problem alone?" he asked in a surprised manner. "You? Ash Ketchum? wanting to deal with his problems alone?" The way he told me that statement like he was about to laugh but I knew that was something impossible for Paul to do. "Somebody must have hit your head hard to think of something like that. I knew you as the caring type that cares about friendship all the time and saying I should do the same." Paul really didn't seem to like saying that last statement of his.

"Well I did fall down a cliff six years ago." I muttered and sighed. I looked back and saw a small expression of shock on his face but it was hard to tell. He closed his eyes, crossed his arms and continued to speak.

"That really does explain a lot. On why you didn't remember me earlier." He opened his arms and looked at me, straight in the eye. "That's why I didn't notice you before. You've changed. Your not the persistent pokemon trainer I called my rival back in Sinnoh." He paused and soon added. "Do you want a little recap on the old days of you begin a pokemon trainer?"

"Not now Paul." I muttered. I really wasn't in the mood to receive anymore insults from him. But I felt he just ignores my reply.

"You were an annoying trainer that told that I need to respect and give friendship to my pokemon. I needed to praise them and respect them. I also needed to treat every pokemon the same and never keep my feelings and troubles to myself." He looked at me seriously. I knew that what he had just said to me was about my life. "It's funny that a few years ago you would be telling me this, and now I am. Hmph." He did a small 'Hmph' sound at the end of his sentence as he closed his eyes and looked back at me. "Just relax and stop stressing out." He walked right to me as I walked out of his room backwards. Soon I was out of his cabin room. "It really doesn't suit you." He soon gave one of the annoyed stares and slammed the door right in my face.

"I forgot how rude he can be." I sighed as I looked around me looking for my own cabin. As I finally found my cabin room and open the door leading into my room, my eyes fixed themselves on Dawn. She was laughing and playing with her pokemon around her with Raichu as well. Looking at her made me felt warm inside and happy. Then my mind played more tricks as the same pose Dawn was doing copied itself and turned into May. Soon both noticed me watching at them. Their pokemon faded away as thick fog and cold wind entered into the scene.

"Ash?" Both girls asked as their voice echoed around me. Both girls looked at each other and soon returned at looking back at me. "Who will you pick?" their voiced echoed into my mind as the fog and wind subsided and died down as my vision of May faded and remained Dawn playing and having a good time with her pokemon. Like both of them or my vision never existed. I entered into my room and closed the door behind me. I laid my back onto the door and felt my back sliding down onto the carpet. I took my bag over my shoulder and was about to throw it at the bed in front of me until a photo slid out.

I looked around my room and saw it was plain open. All there laid was a double bed placed in the middle with the bathroom door on the left side of the room with many portholes placed on the wall were the bed laid. I focused my tension back to the photo that ran out of my bag. It was me and May at the port of the Wallace cup. With my arm over her shoulder and hers over mine, both of us doing a peace sign with the cheekiest smiles anyone could imagine. I turned the photo over and saw a few words written in black pen.

_"Together with my best friend May..."  
"...__A friend that I will never forget."_

I knew it was my handwriting because I noticed my handwriting but in the bottom right corner I noticed something new.

_"Together with my best friend Ash…"  
"…a friend that will always live in my heart…"  
"…no matter what heads out way."_

I knew that those words were written by May. I ran my fingertips over the words she wrote but how did I notice this now? Back at the hospital I never saw her write this. Perhaps she wrote this when I wasn't around her. Before she left me for good.

"May…" I muttered. "What are you really trying to say to me?"

* * *

_"Here you have this May and keep it okay?" I replied as I handed the photo back to May._

_"But there is only one copy." She asked. "Don't you want a copy as well?" _

_"Don't worry about that." I smiled. "I don't need one because I will never forget this moment with my best friend." I looked at her and saw a faint blush of pink across her cheeks. I was confused why she was acting like that but it really didn't bother me that much since I just wanted to spend as much time with one of my many close friends. I looked over my shoulder and saw the boat blowing its horn loud as it was giving its final calls to its passengers. I looked back at May and noticed how sad she was. I felt sad that she was leaving as well but I didn't want to show it to her. I placed my hand onto her shoulder. "Hey, don't feel down May." She looked up to me. "I'm sure we will meet again." she smiled back at me. _

_"Yeah!" she cheered as she released herself from her depressing state. "I'm sure we will see each other real soon!" she placed her hands onto her waist and gave a pout look on her face. "But you promise me that you will visit me okay?" she crossed her arms, waiting for my answer. _

_"Of course May!" I smiled back at her. "I'll try to get Dawn and Brock to come with me when Dawn and I are finished with our major events here in Sinnoh."_

_"That's great to hear." May softly chuckle. "I can't wait Ash!"" she quietly fan girl to herself. "I have to show you the Bell tower in Johto and the Whirl Islands. They are such great places to visit!" the boat blew once more breaking me and May's travel plan of Johto. May looked at her boat back to Johto and looked back at me. She grew a gloomy expression onto her face. "Just make sure you come okay?" she asked sadly. Like she didn't seem to believe me that I would come and visit her in Johto. _

_"Promise May." I grinned at her. Soon I felt somebody running into me and embracing me. I couldn't help but lie in shock and already imagine my face glow a bright red. _

_"I'll wait for you." She laid her face onto my torso. I could feel her soft body hugging me tighter slightly. Like she didn't want to go back home. I wrapped my arms around her as well._

_"I promise you I won't make you wait for long." I held her closer to me just a little longer until it was time to let her go. Something I felt was a wrong thing to do since I could feel my heart strings being pulled. Telling me to call her back and come back to me. I didn't understand why but letting her go back to Johto felt like a huge mistake._

* * *

My eyes quickly flashed opened as my dream I just had, faded and vanished leaving me in my room with my trusted partner Raichu. Sleeping on the other side of the bed in a ball like position. I looked around my room and saw how pitch black my room was. I threw the covers off me and made my way to the porthole and saw the small glow of the moon, giving slightly light, just enough to see where I was going. The sky was dark and the stars shined brightly. Enough to tell me it had just pasted midnight. I changed into my light grey shirt and grey-brownish cargo pants and made my way outside. My mind was in too much confusion to head back to sleep straight away.

The night had a rich navy blue spread across the sky as the millions of stars were scattered everywhere, all glowing at different rates. The wind stay silent as there was no signs of anyone awake. I laid my arms on the rails as I watched the water currents pushing against the edge of the boat slightly and then fading away. "Just like my dreams, it comes into my mind and when I want to ask what is happening around me, they fade away." I sighed right after. I looked to my left and saw Paul looking for his room key in his bag. I wondered what he was doing up so late but it didn't bothered me. I had a few ideas that there was some kind of event downstairs to do with Pokémon of some sort. I sighed and looked back at the water until a question came into my mind. I turned around back to face Paul who had finally found his room key and was about to enter until he saw me.

"What do you want now?" He asked, slightly annoyed. I could tell he wasn't in the mood to talk with me again.

"I just wanted to ask why you want to travel with Dawn and me. I mean you could always turn the offer down when Dawn asked you to come with us." I asked my old rival as I walked up to him. "So why do you want to come with us?" I repeated.

"To have fun." He said in his most un-excited tone of voice I had ever heard from him. I knew he was lying.

"I find that hard to believe." I grumbled. Annoyed he wouldn't give me his real reason on travelling with Dawn and me.

"Well it's because of the battle pyramid; you know Brandon and his three Regis?" He asked. looking at me and waiting for my response, like he wanted to make sure I haven't forgotten the pyramid king, known by the name of Brandon.

"I remember him. Did he move to Hoenn now?" I asked.

"For now." He entered his key into the hold of the doorknob. "He found some new ruins over there around Sky Pillar. He wants to do some research over there. But he is going back to Snowpoint soon." He twisted the key to the right and the door soon flashed wide open.

"But you can do that without coming with us. I mean why do you want to travel with the people you hate?" I continued my streak of questions.

"Well I had to deal with you didn't I, back in Sinnoh right?" I felt annoyed at him after him saying those words to me. "I think I've learned to deal with annoying people such as yourself." He soon took his first steps into his room. He soon turned around. "But I want to come with you guys because I wanted to enjoy myself." I still couldn't accept that Paul wanted to have fun then train his Pokémon.

"I still can't believe you want to have fun. Are you sure you didn't hit on something hard on the way here?" I asked. Still not convinced in what Paul was telling me. "I mean you falling in love are probably something that would never happen to you." I slightly mocked him.

"I've fallen for somebody before but that was a while ago." He stated with an annoyed tone in his voice. He soon placed his hand on the door.

"This is just getting more harder to believe." I mumbled. I decided to tease Paul just one more time before I went back to my own room. "So who is she?" I grinned cheekily.

"Like I'm going to tell an idiot like you." We both heard Dawn walk out of her room like she was searching for her Pokémon or something she had lost. I had just noticed how close our rooms had seemed to be. She soon looked at both of us. Paul shifted his attention away from her as Dawn titled her head on confusion and shrugged and went back into her room. Then he gave a glare at me right after. "And I honestly don't care if you believe me or not." And once more, like earlier. He slammed the door right in my face. I growled at him on how rude he could be to other people. I looked back at Dawn's room and thought to myself for awhile. I turned back at looked at Paul's room.

"Could it be?" I thought to myself. "Could Dawn be the girl Paul was talking about before?" I felt nervous to myself quickly. I tried not to think about that concept but it didn't leave my mind until I reached back into my room, under the sheets and lying on my back and dressed back into my PJ's. My feelings were hard for me to figure out as the idea of Paul having a crush on my girlfriend as just plain impossible. My mind began to think that concept over and over again as my heart gave me a worse idea ever.

That Paul could be still in love with my girlfriend, Dawn.

**End of chapter. **

* * *

**Last minute Author comments**

Yes, my message is down here for this chapter lol. if i wrote at the top it would be just full of spoliers. Anway Paul is such a hard chararther to write and keep him not too OOC. even i have wrote two Ikari fics he is such a challenge to write about. arghh. -_-"

Now i wonder, is the girl Paul was talking about Dawn? or is it somebody else? (IT'S ASH! -shot-) lol, also sorry for the long deley of updating. exams are coming up. but trust me, im not really worried about them, except English. xD I hope the next chapter will be up much quicker. ^^

~midnight


	24. Chapter 24

Lol, long chapter sorry. and i added more mysteries to this. lol, if i keep this up i might end up with 50 chapters like that advanceshipping fic i once read back on Serebii in 2008. i wonder what happened to that fic. it was really good.

~midnight

**Shippings in this chapter: **Pearlshipping. minor Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Chapter twenty four**

I felt a nice cool breeze enter from my cabin's room porthole as I sat up to find it was already morning. I could hear Wingull's and Tallow's singing and calling out their names to one another. I looked around and saw Raichu was already awake and going through my bag. I scratched my head in confusion on why Raichu was going through my bag. I got up to my own two feet and walked up to my long time partner.

"What are you doing buddy?" I asked as I kneeled down to his height. Raichu looked back at me and showed me a contest ribbon. It was the Terracotta ribbon I won back eight years ago. I hadn't laid my eyes onto it since I broke up with May. Every time I would look at this ribbon when I was feeling depressed the pain and anger of breaking up with May would come up again. The ribbon was placed in my Pokémon's palm. Raichu was handing it closer to my face I looked back at my pokemon in total confusion. "Why are you giving this to me? I thought I told you to never show this in front of me again?" I was about to put the item back in my bag until Raichu grabbed my wrist.

"Rai rai." He shook his head. Refusing that I would return the ribbon back in my bag. He grabbed the ribbon out of my hands and placed near his heart. Now I had no idea what he was trying to say to me. Raichu sighed and walked up closer to me and placed the ribbon near my heart this time.

"What are you trying to say to me Raichu?" I asked. Still in confusion.

"Raichu."Raichu sighed and turned his attention back into my bag as I continued to hold the ribbon in my hands. Soon he pulled out a green bandana with a white pokeball design placed in the middle. I never recalled myself ever putting anything that belongs to May in my bag. Then he got one of my research notes and a pen and ripped out a page from my book and drew what seemed to be a love heart. He threw the pen back in my bag and grabbed the ribbon out of my hands once more and put the ribbon in the middle of the love heart. "Rai Rai!" he pointed at his drawing and at the ribbon.

"Are you saying that…" I blushed at the idea. "No Raichu!" I got up quickly. "I'm not in love with May." But Raichu looked unconvinced. "It's true! Believe me!" But something inside of me said a different story. I blushed even more and felt embarrassed and grabbed the drawing, the ribbon and the bandana and stuffed them deep in my bag, hoping that I wouldn't have to see it again. I glared at Raichu. He had a cheeky smile across his face. "Some friend you are." I growled.

Soon I heard my pokegear ring from inside of my bag. I sighed and quickly looked for it. I soon pulled out a navy blue pokegear and flashing on the screen was my little sister's name and a photo of her poking her tongue at me under her name. I knew she wasn't happy of Dawn and me leaving her without telling her. I pressed the green handset button and placed the pokegear as far from my ear. A video soon came up to hear. I knew she decided to call me via video call.

"Where are you?" Amelia screamed in anger. "Please tell me you left to Hoenn without me?" I didn't decide to answer and let her continue. She soon growled. "Oh, how could you!" She complained like a little child. "Why did you leave me here all alone?"

"I needed to see my daughter. Amelia soon calmed down after what I had just told her. She blinked a few times before speaking again.

"Ashlyn is your daughter?" I replied with silence. With gasped and covered her mouth. "Wow."

"Yeah." I looked down at Raichu and he looked back a little disappointed that I didn't know about my child earlier. I looked back at my sister. "Dawn and I are going to Hoenn to see her."

"And what about the wedding?" Amelia asked me. "Are you going to go?" I thought to myself for awhile.

"I think I might not. I will do some research in the Petalburg woods. There have been sightings of a boy and Celebi there which is unusual because Celebi doesn't appear unless it senses danger."

"Is that the only reason big brother?" I could feel another blush grow over my face. I shifted my attention away from her. I asked myself why was I acting nervous and embarrassed every time anyone would ask about May and me.

Could it possibly be?

That I was still in love with May?

"I…" my mind was left speechless.

"So it's true then." Amelia turned turned her voice into a serious manner. "You're still in love with May."

"No!" I yelled. "That's not true!" I refused to accept what my sister had just told me.

"The mind might forget the person you loved but the heart never forgets the feelings you both shared and still have for each other." Amelia said one of her deep messages. Like she was some sort of love expert. "You can keep telling your mind to deny your feelings for May but your heart can't."

"I…" but my mind failed to finish off my sentence. "I…don't know anymore." I looked down on the carpet and deeply thought to myself. My mind kept on asking me more frustrating questions like 'Is it true? You still love her?' or 'you can't still be in love with her. She is getting married soon!' I looked back at Amelia. "Look, just try to come here as fast as you can okay? It feels better to talk to you personally. You're the only person I can talk about these things."

"I'll try big brother. After all, we are the only two left around here." And soon Amelia ended the called and I dropped the pokegear onto the carpet as I sat down onto the floor. Thinking to myself. When she told me that we were the only two left, the rumor that Gary told me that my older brother Alex could still be alive came into my mind. But I soon shook that idea off since I knew he was dead. After all I saw him die in front of my own two eyes.

"No…I can't. It's not right." I muttered to myself as I hid my head behind my knees and as I wrapped my arms around them. "No…" I repeated. I soon looked up and saw Raichu picking up my pokegear to see if it was alright. He looked back as I opened my hand up, asking for the pokegear. Raichu titled its head in confusion but gave my pokegear to me. I looked at my wallpaper and saw me and Dawn happy together. She was on my back, having a piggyback ride. She had one of her warm happy cheeky smiles that would always make me laugh. I opened up the menu and looked through my contacts and searched up one name.

May Maple.

I finally reached her name and placed my thumb over the green handset button. I stared at her name and the photo attached to it. It was quiet an old photo as it was taken the day before she left back to Johto after competing in the Wallace Cup. I finally found the confidence to press the button and placed the pokegear near my left ear. I heard the phone ring a few times. I had a few guesses that she wouldn't be home, maybe shopping for the engagement party but those ideas smashed when I heard a soft sweet voice from the other end.

"Elo?" Ashlyn asked from the other end of the phone. "Who is dis?" I laughed at her cute accent. "Mr. Ketchump!" Ashlyn greeted with excitement. I laughed a little more as she guessed who she was speaking to.

"Hi Ashlyn." I greeted. "How are you?" I asked.

"Good. Mommy and Daddy are buying a huge cake!" My daughter replied but I felt slightly disappointment about the concept of May and Drew together but I quickly shook those feelings away. "But they want a white yucky cake. I want a chocolate cake. Yucky white cake." I laughed at her once more.

"Well do you want me to buy you a chocolate cake for you only?" I asked. I knew that I wanted to do something nice to my child.

"Yes please!" Ashlyn cheered. I could hear May calling out her name in the background. "With lots of chocolate chips okay?" She continued to cheer.

"Okay I will." I scratched the back of my head that I had to come and see her with a chocolate cake with heaps of chocolate chips. Soon I heard May's voice once more but more clearer. I could tell she was coming towards Ashlyn.

"Honey?" She asked. "Who are you talking to?"

"Mr. Ketchump!" Ashlyn continued her cheerful mood to her mother. "He is going to buy me a chocolate cake with lots of yummy chocolate chips. No yucky white cake!" I laughed once more.

"Could I…talk to him honey?" I heard an unconvinced paused near the 'Could I.' part. I could hear an 'okay' from Ashlyn as she handed the pokegear to her mother. We didn't say a word to each other for at least a minute.

"Hey." I began as I broke the silence between us. "Long time no chat."

"Yeah." Soon we started to go back to the habit of not saying anything to each other. But I soon thought of a few words to say to her.

"Could you…um…pick us up at the pier?" I asked. I could May do a little gasp of surprise in the background.

"You're coming today?" she asked in a surprised manner. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"It was kind of unexpected. Like the secret of you not telling me that Ashlyn was my daughter." I sense a sting of anger within me. "Why didn't you tell me back at the hospital?"

"You never knew until now?" May seemed to be as shocked and surprised like I was when I found out I had a child with May. "I figured maybe Dawn wouldn't tell you for a few days but four years? Well that shows how much she really loves you." She seemed slightly depressed of saying of how much Dawn loved me.

"I'm really lucky to be loved by someone like her and once by you." I covered my moth by the last words that escaped my lips. I could hear silence from the other end of the phone.

"Well then…I might tell Ashlyn about her real father before you get here. At least I can do that for you."

"Is Drew okay with all of this?" I asked.

"Yeah his okay with this, he has treated Ashlyn like her own daughter."

"Well we will be there in a few minutes. Could you bring Ashlyn with you guys when you guys pick us up? I mean before I go do my research?" I asked the mother of my child.

"Research?" May asked me in confusion. I knew she wasn't up to date with my current lifestyle.

"Well I'm a Pokemon Professor now and I'm going to research about the weird stuff happening at the Petalburg woods." I told May as I recapped her what I had become in the last four years.

"Wow, I never thought that you would become a pokemon professor. I mean you always told me how much you wanted to become a pokemon master." May's tone of voice seemed to have a little more confidence as we were starting to get use to talking to each other again.

"That dreamed died eight years ago. When I saved Dawn from jumping down a cliff. Where I lost my memories." I heard the horn blow from the outside telling me that we were heading to the pier very soon. "I'll tell you more when we get there."

"We?" May quickly said, acting like she was afraid that I was about to end the call now.

"Yeah, Dawn, me and Paul." I stated.

"Paul? Is that your new boyfriend?" May teased. "Tsk tsk Ash, I never imagined you as a playboy." She giggled soon after.

"Wha?" I was shocked in what May told me. I knew she was teasing me but I hated when people who tease me that I was gay.

"I'm not a playboy!" I complained over the phone. "You of all people…" May continued to laugh as I heard Drew calling out May's name within the background. The horn blew once more as I heard a loud knock on my cabin door.

"Hey idiot, hurry up!" Paul called out in his usual arrogant tone of voice. I knew he wasn't in the mood to wait any longer. "Don't hurry up and I will leave with your girlfriend!" Paul said in his attempt to scare me that he would go off with Dawn which somehow affected me.

"Don't' you dare leave with Dawn, Paul!" I put my pokegear away from my mouth a little as a yelled at Paul. I soon returned to speak with May. "I have to go now May. See you soon." I pressed the red handset to end my call and stuffed my pokegear into my jacket's pockets and grabbed my bag off the floor and threw it over my shoulders with Raichu tagging behind me. I quickly opened the door and saw Paul. He looked like he was going to knock on my door once more. He seemed a little surprised that I got out of my room so quickly after he said he was going to run away with my girlfriend.

"That was quick…" He placed his hands back into his pockets. He looked at Dawn's room which I soon did as well. I heard the door getting unlocked and out came out Dawn. When Dawn walked out I saw she was in a new outfit. She was red clips in her hair, the same type that she would wear back when we were travelling together in Sinnoh. She was a red dress that just reached her knees with a black ribbon placed nicely on her waist. She also had a light black jacket on with black boots with the toe area tipped white. With knee high socks. Also she seemed to return in wearing her beanie with the white beanie with a red pokeball design in the middle.

"Wow, you look great Dawn." She quickly turned her direction to Paul and I. I looked at Paul as he continued to watch Dawn as she smiled back at me and swirled around, lifting her dress a little. He looked at me and was surprised that I was staring at him on why he was looking at my girlfriend for a long time.

"Could you stop looking at me like that? Your starting to creep me out." He took a step away from me.

"Could you stop looking at Dawn like that again? _You're_ starting to creep me out and giving me bad ideas." I slightly growled.

"Like I care about what you think." And he soon walked past me and accidently bumped shoulders with Dawn who didn't seem to notice him walking past him until their shoulders collided with each other. They looked at each other for awhile without saying a word to each other and soon Paul continued his way. Dawn watched him walk away from us two and she soon came up to me and held my hand.

"Now we better get going. We will reach Petalburg soon." She smiled at me. Her joyful smile made me smile slightly at her, reducing my anger at her as well.

"Yeah." I nodded as we both walked out way to the front of the boat, watching and waiting to reach our destination.

XxXxXxXxX

After my conversation with both my sister and May, the three of us reached the pier. There waiting for us was May, Drew and Ashlyn. The three of them all had different expressions on their faces. Ashlyn had the most excited smile I had ever saw on any person. Drew on the other hand seemed annoyed that we were coming and May, she was in the middle. She slightly had a joyful smile and an unconvinced expression on her face.

I knew that this was going to be an interesting greeting.

The three of us got off and greeted them. Ashlyn was the first to come greet us as she ran towards me. When I saw her running towards me I kneeled down on one knee and she soon came up to me and embraced me. I would of fell onto the wooden deck if she came up running to me any faster. I noticed that Ashlyn was wearing a red simple dress with a Torchic inspired headband on her head with two Torchic plushie placed on the sides of the headband. Dawn giggled as Paul was confused on who Ashlyn was.

"Daddy Ketchump!" I couldn't help but laugh and at the same time happy that she called me her daddy. I could hear Dawn giggled and Paul doing a faint smile, but my mind convinced me that my eyes were doing tricks again on the idea of Paul _actually _smiling. My daughter stopped the embraced and looked at me. "Where is my chocolate cake Daddy?" I looked at both Dawn and Paul and found out that they were confused.

"I forgot about it. Sorry Ashlyn." I apologized. Soon Dawn kneeled down and showed Ashlyn her famous sweet pink poffins.

"I forgot as well Ashlyn darling." Dawn smiled and joined on convincing that she forgot about the cake. "Here have this instead. In Sinnoh their called poffins. You might know them as Pokeblocks over here in Hoenn." Ashlyn reached out her hand and held the pink poffin in her hands. She raised it to her lips and nibbled the sweet treat slowly and ate it up quickly as soon as she liked it. We were all shocked on how fast Ashlyn ate the treat. I could tell she must have got that from her mother or even me. I soon laughed afterwards.

"Wow, you sure are hungry." I continued to laugh as I brushed her long black hair. Ashlyn soon turned back to Dawn.

"Do you have anymore Dawny?" my four year old daughter asked adding one of her cute puppy eye stares.

"Sorry." She sweat dropped. "I need to make some more. That was my last one."

"Aw." Ashlyn sighed in a disappointed manner. Soon May and Drew walked closer to us. Drew picked Ashlyn from the ground and held her in his arms. Ashlyn was happy to see her Drew as she hugged him as well. "Daddy Drew!" She cheered. Drew softly smiled. I looked at May as she offered her hand to help me back onto my two feet.

"Welcome back Ash." She greeted with a warm smile as I accepted her help. She soon helped me back onto my two feet. I thought it was best to introduce Dawn and Paul to everyone since I knew it was a good way to start a good conversation within the group.

"Thanks May." I replied as I pointed at Dawn and Paul. "Anyway this is Dawn and Paul. Paul is the guest we invited over here. I hope you guys don't mind." I scratched the back of my head. Dawn waved at the group as Paul just simply ignored me.

"Hey there." Drew greeted both Dawn and Paul. "It's nice to finally meet you Miss Berlitz and Mr. Hayden." Drew greeted politely. "I hope Ashlyn didn't cause any trouble back in Kanto." Drew apologized but I didn't seem to be convinced.

"Nah, it's alright." Dawn smiled. "Ashlyn was so much fun to look after." Paul tapped her on the shoulder and whispered a few words into her left ear. Soon Dawn whispered back in response and Paul's eyes widen in shock and soon looked at me and then made his way to me.

"Ashlyn is your daughter?" He mumbled. The tone in his voice still was unconvinced that Ashlyn was my daughter.

"Yeah. It's a long story." I sighed.

"Playboy." He glared at me and walked off next to Dawn, who he seemed more comfortable to be with. Which I was happy since I hated Paul standing near me.

"Anyway." May began a new conversation within the group. "I'll lead you guys to the poke center. That's where you three will stay until the party. Is that okay?" She asked. We all nodded. "Okay! This way!" May turned around and led the way off, like some sort of thing a band leader would say and do. We all sighed and sweat dropped and agreed it was best just to follow her. As we followed May to the poke center I wonder to myself how May's family was doing. I hadn't seen any of her family members in such a long time and I thought it was best to see them first before going to the poke center.

"Hey May." I asked. The whole group looked back at me. "Is it all right if we could see Max and everyone else before we head to the poke center?" I asked. May looked up towards the sky and saw that it was still bright and showed no signs of the sun setting yet. She looked back at me and nodded.

"Yeah that would be great. Max and Mom would be happy to see you again." she cheered. "I'm sure Max would love to battle against you." She smiled as she pointed the direction to her home. "This way peoples!" and she began to lead us off to a new direction.

"Wait, she is the daughter of Norman, the gym leader of Petalburg City?" Paul asked in a surprised manner. Now everyone looked back at him.

"Yeah." Drew replied. "When she started her journey she was meant to train to become a gym leader but decided she wanted to become a pokemon Coordinator instead. Soon when her dad got sick she decided to become the gym leader until Max was old enough to take over her role. But Max is still training to be one so May is the gym leader for now."

"What?" Dawn nearly jumped out of her boots. "May is a gym leader now?" Drew just nodded. I was shocked to found out that May was now a gym leader.

"This place is just full of surprises." Paul sighed.

And Paul was right. Ever since we got here we were faced with every surprise we never would imagine would exist. Which truly made the journey back to Hoenn more interesting then we all anticipated.

**End of chapter **


	25. Chapter 25

Sorry for the super late update. christmas season has just pasted and my laziess is in the way. i hope you enjoy this chapter and i hoped it isn't rush. Also this fic is coming to a end. (NOOOO!) Well it was never going to last forever. anyway enjoy!

~midnight

**Shippings in this chapter: **Minor Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Chapter twenty five**

Soon we arrived at the Maple's resident. The place remained the same from what I could be able to recall in my mind. Instead of heading inside the home we headed to the gym. The gym had a martial art look to the building. The fence was made out of huge rocks placed together well and the stairs were thick and hard to get over. The walls looked like it was made out of stone as well but was made out of the usual stuff old temples homes would be made out of.

"This is my gym." May recalled proudly. She slide the door open and inside was Max looking after a Slaking.

Max looked much older from the eight year old boy still in my mind barley. My guess by the looks he was around sixteen. He still had his glasses but the lens was much smaller. His sea green hair was now touching his shoulders. He had a lime green long sleeve shirt with black jeans. We were all shocked to see Max, especially May.

"Max?" May question in shock. "I thought you would be in Unova by now?"

"I was." He grinned as his niece came to greet him. Max picked her up in his arms. "The Unova ledge is a month away from now so I thought I might as well come and visit you, Mom and…" Max's reply was interrupted when he saw me. He dropped Ashlyn and made his way towards me. "Ash?" He asked. "Is that really you?"

"Yeah. The one and only." I could hear Dawn chuckle a little.

"You look so old." Max teased. I gritted my teeth together.

"Annoying as ever." I muttered.

"Like you." Paul muttered to himself.

"Don't start Paul." I muttered back at him.

Soon a heard sounds coming into the room. Thing was they weren't the sounds of footsteps. The far door at the end of gym opened and soon came in was May's father, Norman. In a way I didn't expect from him.

He was in a wheelchair.

The front tips of his hair were a slight pale white. He still worn the same maroon jacket I remember him from. Everything else remained the same other than him having grandpa glasses and in a wheelchair. I wanted to ask what happened but my gut told me I rather not find out. He made his way to his children and granddaughter. He gazed at me annoyed and I can't blame him why. Drew offered Dawn and Paul to enter into the house and May helped Max and Ashlyn out of the gym.

Soon I was all alone with Norman. He moved closer to me without saying a word to me. And in a flash he grabbed me by my jacket with a fierce look in his eyes.

"How dare you do that to my only daughter!" He yelled as he released his grip on me. I regained my balance soon after. "Breaking up with her and then to find out she was having a child with you. Your disgusting Ash." He soon added. "And I thought I could trust you with my daughter eight years ago!"

"Before you rub in the all mistakes I've done. Let me explain what you missed out in the last eight years!" I paused and continued. "I fell off a cliff eight years ago to save my best friend from dying. I told May not to leave the house on that night to protect her. I was in a coma for a year. A soon decided to become a coordinator and then met up with May once again. I fell in love with your daughter again and soon discovered she was the missing girl I was looking for. Then we broke up after and now discover that the girl I found in the rain was my own daughter. my mother dies from a long life illness and I've come back to raise my daughter." I took a breath after my long ramble. "Now tell me if you can repeat that I'm horrible person!"

Silence grew between us.

"You forgot to add your still in love with my daughter." I blushed quickly. He turned around from me. "I'm sorry if I said you were a horrible person Ash." He looked out of the window. "I admire that you came back here to be a father to my first grandchild but is that the only reason you came back here to Hoenn?" He turned his chair back facing me.

"I don't understand Norman." Norman's words left me in confusion.

"Dense as ever Ketchum." Norman laughed at my so called denseness. "If you don't love my daughter no more than show up on her wedding day. I want you to make the speech at the reception. I want you to wish May and Drew a happy life together." I didn't reply. "If you truly don't have any more feelings for my daughter than you will do this for her. Think this of a way to rest us in peace." He turned his wheelchair away from me and made his way back to the back door of the gym until a question popped into my mind.

"What if I don't show up?" I asked.

"Then it proves to me you're the same man I knew eight years ago. The young ten year old that loved my daughter for everything she was. No matter what bickering you two did together you would always forgive her because you loved her."

And those were the last words I heard from Norman for the rest of the day. I sat down on the floor of the gym. Norman's words floated in and out of my mind.

_"You forgot to add your still in love with my daughter."_

_"…want you to wish May and Drew a happy life together."_

_"…rest us in peace."_

_"Then it proves to me you're the same man I knew eight years ago."_

_"…loved my daughter for everything she was."_

_"…because you loved her."_

I held my head together. All his words affected my so much. I couldn't stay in the gym any longer and just slid the door wide open and ran out of the building. I could hear Dawn calling out my name but I continued to run. I didn't want to hear anyone else telling what to do, or what feelings I had with May. I could feel the rain beginning to pour over me but I didn't care. I wanted to keep on running. Running away from the problems I had to face. I wanted to hide away from them because I knew when I come back I have to face against them and there was no more running away. I soon stopped and soon saw where I was.

I was at Petalburg woods.

Lighting flashed in the skies and the thunder roared. The wind made the leaves swayed from left to right and every pokemon I saw scattered to shelter. I knew I had to head back but the problems I had to deal with repelled me into the forest. I made my way through the forest. The deeper I went the little the source the light around me would become. I saw on a wet log and dug me face behind my knees.

I hate my life.

"How come every time I want to do something right, it comes out the other way around?" I looked at my palms. "Maybe I should of died when I tried to save Dawn from that cliff eight years ago."

"Please don't say that Ash." a sweet voice called my name. I looked up to find out it was May. All soaked up and wet from the rain. "If you did I don't know how I would of deal with your death."

"At least I would be with my parents and Alex!" I quickly stood up onto my two feet in response. "At least I wouldn't have to ruin your life and everyone around me!"

"Ash please stop!" I felt May embrace her arms around me. Her voice sounded like it was about to tear up. "Don't you ever say you want to die! Ashlyn needs you." She looked right into my eyes. "I…I still need you."

_"She's right. We need you. Everyone you know needs you."_

"Alex?" May stopped hugging me as I looked around me in search of where my older brother's voice came from. "Alex is that you?" I called out into the thick forest. "Please show up if that's you. Alex!" I felt May tugging my arm to calm me down.

My emotions had let me down once more. But my heart still kept me calling him out.

"Alex I'm sorry!" the flashback of the night I saw Alex getting killed by the avalanche haunted into my mind. "I'm sorry if you thought dad loved me more. I never wanted you to think that! He loved us all the same. I'm sorry if I treated you bad when told me that you were my older brother on Mount Silver. Alex please come back!" I soon felt May released her grip and a soft hand was placed on my right shoulder. I looked over my shoulder and was shocked to see who it was.

"Alex." I felt myself ready to tear up.

"Yeah. That's me." He faintly smiled at me. "You were always a little sook. Do you remember the time I bet you in that battle at Dad's place? You lost and you began to cry so hard that-" but I stopped him when I decided to hug my older brother. He wrapped one of his arms onto me. "I'm sorry for begin such a jerk back then. I should have helped you off that mountain when you were sick. I wasn't a very good brother to you and Amelia ever since dad past away in that accident."

I wiped my tears away and distanced myself away from Alex. I looked up and saw Celebi beside him. I looked back at my brother.

"How did you survive?" I asked.

"Celebi was near the mountain when I got hit by the avalanche. She saved me and teleported me here, in Petalburg woods." I looked up at the grass type pokemon.

"Thank you so much Celebi."

"Celebi!" she cheered. I looked back at May and saw her smiling back at me. It reminded me a question I forgot to ask her.

"May." I turned around to face her. "Why did you come here in the woods in this kind of weather?"

"Shouldn't I ask you that question sooky?" May teased. I could hear Alex chuckle behind me. "I came here to look for you. Don't you know how worried I— we were?" May had a faint blush on her cheeks. "I mean why did you run out of the gym like that? All broken up and stuff."

"Your dad told me a few words back at the gym." He words began to re-run in my mind. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Ash stop making us worry about you on a regular basis." Alex told me from behind. "We are your family. At least talk to us when you have a problem." I looked back at my brother.

"You want to hear it? It's a long story." I asked. making sure Alex was ready to hear my long story ahead.

"I have the time." He softly grinned at me. I glanced over my shoulder to find out that May was ready to help out.

"Alright then." I paused and continued. "It started after your accident…"

* * *

A few days had past after my confrontation with Norman and the discovery that my older brother was still alive. Amelia had finally arrived and couldn't stop crying tears of joy all over Alex. May and Drew were always in town since the wedding was coming in a matter of two days. I was able to spend my time with Ashlyn and be a proper father to her. Caroline, May's mother welcomed me back with a huge feast the first night I came here. I sat out in front of the gym with a concern I had in my mind.

It was about Paul and Dawn.

They were rather close in the last few days. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the sounds of Norman's wheelchair coming towards me with Ashlyn on his lap, taking a right on his grandpa wheelchair. After all she was only four. He seemed more relax and less frustrated with me after out huge talk a few days ago.

"What are you doing here Ketchum?" Norman asked.

"Thinking to myself as usual." I sighed. Ashlyn hopped off Norman's lap and went to embrace me.

"What are you thinking daddy?" she asked in her normal sweet tone of voice.

"I'm thinking of that chocolate cake I still own you." I grinned. Ashlyn cheered.

"Yay chocolate!" Ashlyn did a small dance in happiness. I could just see in the corner of my eye that Norman was smiling.

"Ash." he asked me after Ashlyn's little dance. "Let me tell you something." He moved his wheelchair beside me. "I got paralyzed and was stuck in this wheelchair right after a tree in the Petalburg wood fell on me. The doctor told me I could still of been able to walk if I told my family I was heading out there." he looked at me. "What I'm trying to say is that if you don't tell your problems to the people that care for you, you will make a mistake that you won't be able to fix."

"My problems can't be fixed because I've ruined the solution to them." I sighed.

"Don't talk rubbish Ash. You know you're better than to give up without trying. What happen to the persistent pokemon trainer that never gave up on his dreams?"

"Dead with his parents." Silence grew between us. "My father died out in an accident at sea. That's why my mother left Alex and Amelia with my aunty when I was only eight. We moved to Pallet and never talked to them again. You see Alex and Amelia are only my half brother and half sister. They were never my mother's real children. I was her only child." I paused and soon added. "My mother died from a bad illness that was too late to be cured. I begged her that I wanted to stay and look after her but she force me to head to Johto where May and her rivals were."

"I'm sorry to hear that Ash. I now understand why you want to be a good father to my grandchild. You want her to have a father." Norman moved in front of me and pointed at my heart. "I'm happy to still see the old Ash Ketchum in there." and soon he made his way back to house, leaving Ashlyn by my side. I looked at my daughter. She was already asleep on the steps. I picked her up and laid her in my arms as I walked back to the house. Thinking of the words Norman had told me.

_"I'm happy to still see the old Ash Ketchum in there."_

"Guess his right." I added a smile and headed back into the house.

**End of chapter. **


	26. Chapter 26

This chapter is sooo effing hooottttt. why? read and i will explain at the end of this chapter. im still fangirling about it now. weeeee

~midnight

**Shippings in this chapter: **Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Chapter twenty six **

"And I now present you as husband and wife…" I grumbled to myself that I would hear does words soon tomorrow. "Why am I so worked up about the wedding I mean I'm not even-" but my train of thought was discontinued when I felt Ashlyn tugging down on my jacket.

"Daddy?" She asked. Her sweet soft voice always seemed to calm me down in times like now. "Why do I have two daddies?" She asked.

I knelt down to her height and patted her head. I knew that May hadn't thoroughly explained the fact that I was here real father and not Drew.

"Is it bad to have two daddies?" She asked once more. Adding another answer before I could reply to her first one.

"Of course not LynLyn." I replied. Giving her a new nickname at the same time. "You should be happy you have at least one." The thought of my own father came into my mind.

His face was already faded in my mind. I could barley remember what he wore that day when he left us for the job to become one of the Elite four in Unova. Mother always told me that his hair was similar to mine, my determination to win and help others was from him and every time I smiled she would see my father for just that moment.

I miss them so much.

"Daddy stop crying." She placed both of her small hands on my cheeks. I didn't notice that while thinking of my parents ended up with tears on my face.

"Daddy? A familiar voice asked from before. I held Ashlyn in my arms and stood up, turning to face my friends.

"Lyra, Misty and Gary. How nice to see you all again." I greeted with a smile. I felt happy to see them again. I haven't seen Lyra since I was in the hospital and Misty since Cerulean. But Gary, well even though we are friends he always found ways to annoy me.

"Wow. So I was right back then." Gary teased.

"Long story guys. But I can't be bothered to explain it all over again. I mean I did the same to Alex." I sighed.

"Alex, who is this Alex guy?" Lyra asked in confusion as she looked from left to right to find my older brother.

"I think that can wait. We have a wedding to attended remember." Misty reminded the group. She soon looked at me. "So that explains why she was so close to you. You were her real father after all." Misty giggled. "I never thought I would see the day Ash Ketchum will be a father. I mean you were so immature back then…"

"And still are." Gary bumped in. I growled at him.

"Am not!" I complained. The three of them chuckled. "Anyway." I paused and continued. "I have to bring Ashlyn home. See you guys at the pokecenter then?"

"You bet Ash!" Lyra winked. "And also I want to battle you when we get there. After beating Misty here I feel so confident to battle anyone!"

"Then I suggest you battle Alex then. The man you nearly beat on Mount Silver." I laughed as I made my way to the Maple's resident.

"Wait, his your brother?" Lyra complained. I could hear her continued to ramble on but Ashlyn and I were too far to listen what else she had to say.

Minutes later after my confrontation with Lyra, Misty and Gary once more, Ashlyn and I made back home. Everything seemed the same as we entered into the home. Caroline was cooking meals for dinner with Dawn helping out. Dawn noticed me looking at her. She did a cute smile at me and waved but was called back to cook as she nearly burnt tonight's roast. Ashlyn and I looked at each other and laughed. We walked past one of the windows and noticed Paul trained his old favorite, Torterra in the backyard. He knew we were watching him but he didn't seem to care. We also passed Drew in his room with his Roserade by his side, getting groomed by his trainer. I didn't bother to stay long and made my way. Soon we reached the living room where Max and Norman were watching the news. I dropped Ashlyn on her feet and Ashlyn went to greet her grandfather. Max jumped out of his seat and went to greet me.

"Ash, Ash!" He repeated my name twice cheerfully.

"What, what?" I called back in confusion. He seemed to still have that annoying charm he did back in Hoenn.

"I need to ask you a favor." He seemed be begging at me rather than a favor. "I want to ask May if I can take her place to finally be the gym leader. I've done my training and everything but I'm scared that she might not think I'm strong enough." He looked down on the carpet and straight back at me. "I've even asked Dad for permission and he said its best to ask May."

"But why are you so afraid of your own sister?" I asked. I could hear Raichu and Ashlyn playing together in the background.

"She really likes her job recently. I don't want to make her sad when I tell her I want to replace her. Also she seems really good at it. I'm afraid I won't be up to her standards." Max replied slightly depressed.

"And that's where you want to ask me to help you out by asking her instead of you?" Max nodded. Soon I heard Raichu calling out in pain. Max and I looked back and saw Raichu running away from Ashlyn. It looked like Ashlyn was pulling Raichu's tail a little too much causing Raichu to run away from her.

"No Ashlyn, don't chase after him!" Max panicked as he chased after her niece. Leaving me to go after May and ask if she would want to step down and let Max be the full time gym leader of Petalburg city.

I walked out of the room and walked passed many rooms but was stopped when I heard noises from a battle in the next room ahead of me. I slid the door to the left and saw May was battling a new opponent with her Beautifly.

"Arial Ace to finish him off Beautifly!" May called out.

"Zippo dodge it using Fly and then finish her off with Flamethrower!" Her opponent called out to his pokemon.

The Charizard used all the speed he had in him but Arial Ace was too quick for the flying and fire type pokemon. Charizard quickly fell back onto the ground but was able to get back onto his feet quickly. As soon May's opponent pokemon was back on his feet he called out to use Flamethrower at Beautifly once more. May had no time to response quick enough and Flamethrower was a critical hit. It did so much damage that it made her bug type to flutter to the ground.

"Here is our chance Zippo! Use Dragon claw to finish Beautifly off!" the brunette boy commanded his pokemon. Charizard roared in response on got to its wings and headed straight to Beautifly.

"Morning sun now!" May called out in desperation.

"Beautifly!" the bug and flying type pokemon called its own name out. She soon flew up in mid air and casted a bright morning sun. It was so bright that it made Charizard to stop its move and cover his eyes from the bright move.

"Now Solarbeam!" May added and her pokemon responded by unleashing a powerful grass type attack right at Charizard. I was shocked on how quickly Solarbeam was released.

"She must have used the light she got from Morning Sun to turn it into a Solarbeam attack. Impressive." I muttered to myself.

The Solarbeam was a direct hit on the fire type starter and KO the pokemon. May's Blaziken lifted his flag on May's side to announce she was the winner of the battle. The young boy sighed and returned his pokemon back to its ball. As the boy walked up to May I soon got a better view of him.

He wore a hat similar to Lyra's but the hat was light violet with a pale yellow strip wrapped around his hat with a small red and white pokeball design placed at the left side of his hat. He wore a sea green shirt with only two of his yellow buttons tied up showing a white singlet underneath. He had red arm warmers placed on both of his wrists. He had yellow pockets placed on his sea green shirt with a loose brown nap sack around his waist. His cargo pants were dipped in a deep sea blue with the left side of the pants slightly higher than the other. And his shoes were a mix of purple, black and red.

After looking at May's defeated challenger did his name came to my mind.

"Richie?" I asked as I entered into the room finally. Standing right beside May. She seemed surprised to find me right beside her. "Is that really you?" I asked.

"Wow, Ash. You still remember me?" He asked in a surprised manner. "And wow, look at you. You look so different since we last saw each other back in Kanto." Richie replied with a smile.

"Wait you two know each other? Just how many people did you meet on your travels?" May asked in confusion.

"Hehe. I have so many I've lost count." I laughed.

"Typical Ash." May giggled. I stared at her after laughing myself and watch her laugh at me. I never notice how cute her smiles were and how sweet her laughter was. I smiled at her slightly but I didn't think she noticed.

"So is she your girlfriend Ash?" Richie whispered to me. I felt my whole face go red.

"She isn't my girlfriend!" I complained. "Why does everyone ask that?" I muttered. Still having my bright red blush all over my face.

"Just teasing Ash." Richie laughed. He soon looked at May. "You really are a great gym leader May. I might have lost but it just tells me I have to be stronger to beat you to become a pokemon master." My mind flashed a string of disappointment when Richie had mentioned the words 'pokemon master' right in front of me.

"You still want to be a pokemon master Richie?" I asked. I tipped my hat over my face to hide the expression I suddenly felt.

"Don't you Ash?" My old rival asked me.

"Things have changed the last eight years Richie." I sighed. "Becoming a pokemon master. What was I thinking back then? I was such an idiot back then."

"And your giving up just like that?" Richie yelled at me. "I may not know what happened to you in the last eight years Ash but the last time we met, you wouldn't stop until you got what you worked so hard for. What happened to you?"

"It's too complicated for somebody like you to understand. Somebody who still keeps on dreaming something that doesn't exists!" I complained.

"How dare you Ash. You have changed so much in the past eight year that I don't think you're the same friend I made back then!" He gritted his teeth together and clutched his fists together. "You just now become a complete weakling and a coward. Giving up everything you work so hard for!" I suddenly felt like hurting Richie on what he had told me. I felt like just getting a huge mallet and hitting him with it many times. But we went through a lot and he was my friend. That was the reason I didn't try to hit him even though my feeling inside of me really wanted to.

"Stop it you two!" May quickly wrapped her arms around me. Somehow her holding me in her arms calmed me right down. But the way I felt to Richie didn't. "Please stop Ash. This isn't you. Don't let your past get you so worked up right now." I closed my eyes to relax even more and thought it was best to say sorry to Richie but by the time I opened my eyes once more. He was gone. I knew I should go and apologize but May was hugging me so tight that I couldn't. I soon looked back at May. I didn't notice how close I was to May.

Our eyes were looking right into each other. Our noses where touching. Our arms were wrapped around each other. And May's lips were locked onto mine. I could feel my face glow a brighter red and the fear that Drew or anyone could walk right in. soon the feeling of that night came back in me. That night before we broke up.

I started to make my hands up her back and to take her pink and white cap off and she ran her fingertips through my thick black hair. I began to start kissing from her lips down to her neck. We made our way to one of the back rooms of the gym that nobody seemed to come in. we continued our kissing as we laid our backs against the wall and slowly slid down it and onto sitting on the floor. May had already knocked off my hat was had already unzipped my sky blue jacket and was lying already on the ground. May's cap was lying right next to it. Then my hands knocked off May's pink bag that was always seemed to be with her all the time. My fingers soon started to take off her black vest and I threw it somewhere on the floor. Soon I was on top of her and she was making her hands underneath my shirt. Asking for me to take it off. Which somehow ended on the ground quiet quickly. I did the same by taking off her white singlet and ended upon the floor as well.

She was starting to kiss from my lips down to my neck and wrapped her arms around my chest, which had nothing on. Since my shirt was already on the floor. I began to kiss from her neckline down to her chest area and my hands were playing around with her black bra in the attempt to take it off until myself conscience came back in.

I didn't realize that I was having a passionate moment with May that if we continued we would have a lot of things to explain to each other and everyone else. But what happened next didn't make any of what had happened better.

"I…I love you." I quickly got off top of May and covered my face with my hat. Hoping and wishing my hat was so big it would hide my whole body away from May. But it didn't. Instead I felt May wrapped her arms around my body from behind.

"I…I…love you to Ash Ketchum" I could hear how scared and unconfident she was with saying those words. Like she was afraid that when she said those words something bad would happen.

"Whaaa?" I turned around to face her. "You still love me after all these years and what I've done to you?" I still realized that my blush was still all over my face.

"Well after what we been through right now. I realized that I still love you Ash. I'm sorry for everything." I could tell she was ready to cry. I soon kissed her on the lips softly.

"It's okay May. You don't have to say sorry anymore. I forgive you because I love you." I somehow felt more relaxed and confident to say those three words to May now that she admitted that she loved me to. Soon we heard knocking on the door and quickly panicked. May quickly grabbed her vest and singlet while I grabbed my jacket and shirt off the floor and hid under an old table with an old white tablecloth covering it that was in the room.

"Sis? Now where did she-" but was interrupted by an object.

May and I soon realized what that object was.

We forgot to get our hats.

I could see Max's shadow pick up our hats together. I could imagine him looking at them for a very long time. May and I hugged each other. Hoping that the worse wouldn't come.

"What are May's and Ash's hat doing in an old room like this?" he asked to himself. "Maybe Ash finally asked May if she could step down so I can become the gym leader now. And they must have talked in this old room for some privacy. And they must have left to do something else and forgot their hats. That's must be it!" Max said in his cheerful tone of voice. "I will give this back to them back at the house." We could hear Max already at the door ready to leave. "I wonder if May is happy about her stepping down for me. I hope she isn't mad at me." And those were the last words we heard from him as he left the room finally. May and I came out underneath of the table.

"Max wants to become the gym leader now? Is that why you came to see me?" she looked at me.

"Yeah I was until we got a little distracted." I laughed and May blushed a bright red and tried to hide it with her clothes. I laughed even more. Soon May stopped hiding her face from me and laughed with me as well. As soon we stopped May looked at me, smiling.

"I'm so happy to be with you again Ash." she grabbed my hand and held it tight.

"Same here May." I smiled back and held her hand tight as well. Finally able to be able to smile with the girl that I was able to convince myself I loved more.

**End of chapter **

* * *

**Last minute authors notes.**

Was that hot or not? a shirtless Ash with only his pants on and May with only a black bra and demin mini shorts on. oh god, someone draw it for me. so hot. 3 3 3

Anyway this isn't the last of Richie. he is coming back. the next chapter will be split into two parts and then the epilodge. yes, around three chapters to go. lets all get our tissues now shall we? lol.

~midnight


	27. Let our hearts lead the way: Part 1

I cried in this chapter, at the pearlshipping part. it was so sad. i cried. damn. it so sad. *sniff sniff* free tissues everyone.

~midnight

**Shippings in this chapter: **Pearlshipping and Ledgeshipping?

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Chapter twenty seven: **_Let our hearts lead the way:_ Part One

I thought that maybe, we could of. Yet it never happened. But why, I don't understand. It's so confusing, we were so close, everything was going fine, and now it's all over.

So many excuses entered my mind right now. It happened so fast that it feels like I've lost my memory all over again. Its feels like I have to start from scratch again. I feel defeated. It's that feeling I would always get when I would lose at any pokemon ledge, that horrible feeling of defeat. That feeling that you know you could avoid it but you didn't, that you could have been better but you didn't train enough and that you could of stopped begin hurt over and over again but you let it slip through your fingers and now you have to live with the grudge for as long you learn to forget the memories that caused you to get that grudge in the first place.

It hurts, so much.

"Passengers heading to Unova please aboard the ship now. This is the last and final call to all passengers going to the Unova region!"

It really hurts. It really does.

* * *

_Yesterday…._

"Where are you going now?" May asked as she placed her black vest back onto her.

"I need to find Richie. I need to say sorry to him." I replied as I pulled my white zipper up to the top of my jacket. "What I did to him was completely wrong."

"I understand." She crawled onto her knees searching for her last clothing, her pink bag. "Now where is that-" but I cut her short when I dropped the bag to her head height to show her I found her bag. She sweat dropped and got back to her knees and accepted the bag out of my hands. "Thanks." She smiled.

"I have to go now May. Richie might of left by now." I rushed to the door and slid it to the left and was heading out until I heard someone call my name out.

"Ash." May called from behind. "I love you." She mouthed. She knew that if she told me she loved me with sound we would be in such trouble. I mouthed the same words back to her and made my way out of the gym and in search of my old friend. Richie.

Night had already fallen over the small town and finding Richie had become even slimmer. Also the fact that Misty, Gary and Lyra were at the pokemon center with Lyra waiting to battle me I really didn't want anybody else to delay me. The stars started to become more visible as the night went longer. The stars began to become more crowded as the night laid silent. It felt like hours in search of him that I had just given up in finding of him. I rested my mind on a calm beach. I had never noticed it before but I was glad I did. I needed to think to myself on the things happening all around me.

_"You just now become a complete weakling and a coward. Giving up everything you work so hard for!"_

Coward, weakling and giving up too easily. That the new me ever since the night. What's the point changing into someone I can't even remember? There is no point.

_"And your giving up just like that?"_

I've lost everything. My childhood past, my interest in pokemon battles, my journey in Hoenn, forgetting May and learning the truth of my family. I learnt all this a little too late. Giving up is my only option.

_"You have changed so much in the past eight years that I don't think you're the same friend I made back then!"_

Agreed. I had to stare at you for a whole gym battle just to remember who you were. Before I even entered into the room I couldn't even remember your face. And now here I am, looking for you. To say sorry.

"Okay I'm crazy now. I'm starting to talk to myself." I scratched my head as I watched the waves go back and forth for the millionth time. Watching the water touch the sand and the tips of my red sneakers. I looked at saw the full moon at its brightest I had ever seen it at. I grabbed my head and closed my eyes.

Everything that had happened to me in the last eight years. Were the most painful and yet most wonderful years of my life. I met new and old friends, fell in love and found new things about my past.

But why did I have to find about them in such painful ways?

Why did I forget my memories?

Why me?

"Why pick me of all people?" I yelled at the top of my lungs. It felt like I was blaming the moon for everything that was happening to me, like it was the moon's fault that this was happening to me. "Tell me!" I yelled. Demanding for answers, even though I would never find them, yet receive them from anyone.

"Ha, silly Ash. Yelling his problems at the moon." A familiar voiced called from the background. I turned around and found who it was. "I wonder who taught you to do such a silly thing."

"Richie…" I soon decided to calm down and apologize but Richie continued to talk.

"You know Ash." He began. "You were such a happy kid back then, always smiling and always caring for your pokemon. We only met for a few days but I felt like I knew you since forever!" He raised his arms in the air and then put them behind his short brunette hair. "I could tell you were afraid at your first ledge and not only that, you kept your problems to yourself. You never wanted to tell anyone because you were afraid that you would worry them." He looked at me. "You still do that Ash. That's one thing even amnesia can't take away from you. Your heart." He grinned at me. One of the old smiles he always gave to me back at the Kanto ledge.

"Look Richie, sorry from earlier. I didn't mean to yell at you like that." I sighed.

"Forgiven." He winked at me. "I could tell your weren't yourself the moment you walked into my battle with May." He bent down and looked for a smooth oval shaped pebble in the sand. "How can I possible be mad at somebody I haven't seen for eight years? It doesn't make any sense." He threw the pebble with his right arm. The pebble made two bounces on the water before sinking.

"You know Richie. It's nice to finally talk to you again. I finally have somebody I could talk about my problems." I sat down onto the soft grainy golden sand. Richie soon picked up another pebble from the sand.

"What about Misty and Brock? Aren't you close to them?" He asked as he spun his arm in a circle shape multiple times, warming up his right arm.

"I'm close to all my friends. It's just I don't like talking guy stuff to a girl and Brock well, he gets distracted too quickly." I laughed slightly.

"Look Ash. As a friend I'm here to help you out. If there is something you want to talk about, then a friend like me is what you need." He winked as he threw the pebble to the ocean. It bounced twice again before sinking once more.

"Well then." I paused and took in a breath before adding. "I'm having an affair with a woman who is getting married tomorrow." Richie choked and fell to his backside, dropping his new pebble onto the sand.

"Who, what where?" Richie asked in a shocked manner. Rubbing his head after the fall. "You're having an affair with a woman who is getting married tomorrow? Since when did this become a new hobby of yours Ash?"

"Hm, I think I didn't explain that right did I?" I chuckled. "The girl I love is May, and after we 'talked' we soon found out we still love each other, but the thing is she is getting married tomorrow and I have a girlfriend still." I explained.

"Wow." Richie nearly jaw dropped. "Complicated."

"Tell me about it." I laid onto my back at looked up the million of stars gazing back at me.

"I heard of a saying my mother told me when I was young. That if you love someone, set them free." He opened his arms wide into the air. "But I always thought to myself, if you love them, won't you fight for that love? If you want to be together you would fight the love you share so you can be together until you grow old!" he laid onto his back onto the sand. "Love is so complicated." He turned he head to me. "How did you ever get into the game of love?" He asked.

"Dunno." I placed my hands behind my head. "It just happens I guess. You can't pick who you want to fall in love with or when."

"Well then." Richie got up. Sitting down on the sand and once more looking for a pebble. He soon showed it to me. "What will it be? Will you let the love of your life free or will you fight for your right to be together?"

I replied in silence. Richie was right. There were so many sayings in love. Should I set May free and let her marry the man that loves her so much, the man that raised my daughter for three years. The man that was there since we broke up.

Or should I fight the right to be hers once more, the right to be able to love her without holding anything back. To show her I still love her after all these years. The woman that my heart beats for.

I got onto my feet and accepted the pebble Richie had offered to me. I took a breath in and threw the pebble with all the power and strength I had in me. The small rock bounced five times before sinking into the deep dark blue ocean.

I knew quickly and the best answer to that question.

* * *

At the pier, with bloodshot eyes, crinkled clothing and a sore heart. Did I really do what was best for us? Best for me? Was my answer right? Or was it completely wrong that I failed? I dug deep into my pockets and pulled out a golden ring with a sparkling emerald stone as the centerpiece. It shined in the setting sun of Hoenn and sparkled with such joy. I clutched my fist with the ring in my palm.

"Dawn…"

* * *

I said my goodbye to Richie and asked him to explain to Lyra that I wasn't able to battle her right now. I had to set my heart straight and my mind up. I walked into the Maple's resident and noticed as I entered into the building that most of the lights were out. I was heading back to my room when I noticed something bright. It was the light escaping May's room. I could here two people talking. Two girls talking about something serious. I hid in the spare room in front of May's room and listened to the two girls talking.

"What do you mean you can't come tomorrow to the wedding?" May asked in such confusion.

"I remembered that…I have some family issues at home. I'm sorry I can't make it May." It was the voice of Dawn. But why was Dawn leaving? She was so excited coming to May's wedding and now she's leaving? "This is for the best May. I promise I will make it up to you the next time I see you. I promise!" she added one of her unmistakable cheerful tones, but I knew she was pretending to be happy. I saw more light getting out of May's room. I peeked through the small gap of my door and saw May at the entrance and Ashlyn sleeping on the bed with Dawn leaving her room. Heading to our room we were both sharing. As soon May closed her door, I made my way out and followed Dawn.

"Dawn. Is that true?" I asked as I entered into I room. I was shocked to see her first luggage was already packed up and near the door. Showing what she told May was true.

"Yes Ash. I'm leaving tonight." She placed more of her spare clothes into her second pink luggage. She didn't seem to be very happy as she had her back facing towards me.

"Buts its past midnight! And plus you never told me we were leaving tonight! If you told me then I could of packed my own bags and-"

"I'm going back home **alone** Ash." Dawn's words stopped my question. Did my ears hear her right? She's going home alone?

"What, I mean, Dawn!" I replied in confusion as I walked closer to her. She was still in her same position. Her back facing me and packing more clothes into her bag. "What's wrong with you, are you sick? Do you have a fever?" I placed my right hand on her shoulder but Dawn quickly turned around and knocked my hand off her quickly.

"I'm leaving you Ash! That is what I mean!" She yelled. There was a hint of anger and frustration in her eyes and in her voice that I never heard from her before.

"But why Dawn? I don't understand!" I complained. Leaving me in more confusion than I first started with.

"I'm such a fool…" she began a new conversation. Refusing to answer my questions. "To ever love you when I knew your heart beat for somebody else…" I noticed tears running down her face. "I'm such a fool at love." Her voice had already broken up. I walked up closer to her but she rejected it and took steps backwards, away from me. "When I saw you with May back at the gym, I knew it was all over. The illusion of us ever getting together was a lie!" she yelled.

Looking into my eyes. I knew the words she had told me were no joke. She pulled off the ring on her left hand and walked closer to me. The more she walked to me, the more she cried. She grabbed my hands and placed the ring in the middle.

It was the ring I gave for her eighteen birthday. It was a gold ring with an emerald stone in the middle. It still had the shine on it the first time I saw it in the shop. When I saw that ring the first person I thought of was Dawn. She closed my palm together and pushed my hands down. She continued to hold my hand with the ring in my palm with more tears running down her face.

"May is so lucky to love a man like you Ash." she looked up to me. "I'm so happy to be loved by I man like you." She continued to cry and placed her hands onto my cheeks. "I love you Ash Ketchum."

And in that moment we shared our last kiss. That kiss felt like it was the first time I kissed her. The first time I loved her. When I first kissed her back then, it was filled with such joy, happiness and love but now, it felt so painful and sad. I couldn't help but shed a few tears that night; after all it was out last kiss together. She stopped and turned around to zip up her last unpacked bag. She soon grabbed both bags and walked right up to me, side by side.

"Ash, thank you." She began. I didn't bother to reply. My emotions were in the way to reply to her. "Thank you for ever letting me love you, and for you to love me. You made me so happy." She looked up at me but I turned my attention away from her. She said no more and left me in that room, all alone.

I finally felt how May felt that day we broke up. Sad, depressed, gloomy, miserable, heartbreaking, unhappy, disheartened, down and despondent and many more.

So Dawn's choice was to let the love of her life free. Was that going to be my answer as well? Was I ready to accept that I might let May go through it all over again? All the pain and suffering that I gave her that day. The haunting memory that would live in her for many years to come. Was I really ready to do that all over again? Could I do it?

My mind had no response to that.

Instead I just kept on crying that night. I couldn't remember a day where I cried to hard and for so long. I turned off the light and headed to one room, a room that was far away from the others. I lifted my right hand and knocked as hard I could that night. I heard the doorknob unlock and twist. The door moved back and I saw a half asleep brunette. Her eyes widen in surprise to see me in such a state.

"Big brother!" Amelia cried out in surprise. "Wha…What happened to you?" My lips couldn't reply back at my own little sister. Just my tears continued to run down my cheeks. She turned around to wake up Alex. "Big brother Alex, wake up, Ash needs us!"

"At this time of the night but-" but my expression on my face stopped his question to Amelia when she saw the state I was in. he didn't ask anymore and let me in and let me sit on his side of the bed. "Hey, stop that." He asked softly but I couldn't. Even my mind screamed for me to stop my heart couldn't stop the pain, the bleeding wound that Dawn gave me when she left me.

"What happen Ash?" Amelia asked. She was right in front of me, on her knees and on the carpet and looking up at me with Alex by my side.

"Dawn left me…"My lips barely pronounced. I was surprised I could even talk after the pain I was in. "She's gone."

After that, there was silence.

**Chapter twenty seven: **_Let our hearts lead the way: _Part one, End.


	28. Let our hearts lead the way: Part 2

One more chapter, it will be the epilogue. it will by the last chapter that will tie up all the loose knots in the last few chapters. i think this will have to be my favourites chapters yet. its filled with so many emotions.

Oh yeah, this chapter will be told in May's POV (Point of view) just like it chapter one. =3

Enjoy!

~midnight

**Shippings in this chapter: **Contesthipping and Advanceshipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Chapter twenty eight: **_Let our hearts lead the way: _Part two

**May's POV**

And there I was, at the beginning of that road and looking at the man I love so dearly. He was looking handsome as I always remember. Just like the first time we met back eight years ago. And there he stood, waiting for me. I began to walk with my daughter by my side.

* * *

I looked at myself at the long body length mirror. I was in the room where I was getting dressed into my beautiful wedding gown. The gown was longer that the height of my body. My dress had a slight gold tinge to it. I wanted something different to do usual classic white wedding dress. My dress was strapless and had small white roses around the top of the dress. I dragged the dress out of the box and saw the rest of the outfit. It had a strong gold silk ribbon placed nicely around the waist area. And also there were creamy peachy roses starting from the waist down in a spiral direction, going clockwise. Each rose got bigger and bigger the further they went down the dress.

I turned back to face the mirror once more and held the dress in front of me. Pretending I was wearing it. I carefully put my dress on one of the tables in the room and went back to the box, I just noticed that there was a veil; it had a gold ring with that white transparent material around it. I took off my pink and white cap and placed it on top of my head. I grabbed a brush and brushed my long brunette hair carefully.

"I can't believe it. I'm getting married today." I chuckled at that idea. I took off my veil. "But what about Ash…" I held the veil close to my heart. "I wonder if he is okay with all of this." I felt like crying once more but I was interrupted when I heard a few knocks on my dressing room door.

It wasn't Ash or Drew. It was one of his rivals that Ash had told me about him. He said he watched us when Dawn, Zoey, Ash and I entered in the Wallace Cup. He soon opened the door and I knew who it was. It was Paul.

"Your May right?" He asked. He wasn't in any suit. He was in his usual street clothes that I always saw him in. he was leaning against the entrance of my door.

"That's me." I replied in confusion. I walked up to the strange boy. "What do you want?"

"I have to leave. My hosts aren't here. Sorry." He apologized like he didn't mean it and turned around to walk off until I grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Wait!" I asked. Hoping he would come back. I needed to ask him something before he could really leave. "Are you close with Dawn?" he glanced over his shoulder. I had a fair idea that was his response to my question. "Anyway, I need to speak with her. We didn't leave on good terms. I want to talk to her before I get married." He turned around to face me.

"Let me see." He grabbed out a black pokegear from his grey bag. I stood by him to see if he did have Dawn in his contacts. The poke gear's screen lit up and soon showed Paul's wallpaper. It was just plain black. Soon a message appeared on the screen. It was a message that told you if you had any missed calls or text messages.

He had ten missed calls and five texts messages. All from Dawn.

"I don't know how people get my number." He sighed and deleted the list of his missed messages and calls.

"I don't know why people even bother adding you onto their contacts." I muttered to myself. Paul clicked on Dawn's number and placed his poke gears onto his ear. Waiting if Dawn would pick up. A few seconds he took the gear away from his ear. "You try." He handed his poke gear to me. I accepted it and clicked on Dawn's number once more. It rang around about three times before I reached her voicemail.

_"Hi, this is Dawn Berlitz. Sorry if I can't answer your call right now. If you want to speak with me later on, please say your name and number and I promise to call you back. No need to worry!" _And her message stopped and soon followed a click sound, a sign to tell me that I had to leave a message now.

"Hey Dawn. I'm calling you via Paul's phone. Look we didn't leave on good terms last night. I really hope you will talk to me again. I don't want to ruin out good friendship. Please call me back." And after that I ended my call and handed back the poke gear to its rightful owner. "Thanks Paul."

"Yeah, yeah." He put his poke gear back into his bag and pulled out a letter. "Your friend gave this to me." I accepted the letter and Paul turned his back and made his way out of the building but soon stopped. He looked over his shoulder. "And can you guys stop treating me like a message boy? It's really annoying me." And he made his way out of my sight and I made my way back into my room.

I opened the letter and saw it was from Ash.

_Hi May, It's me Ash._

_I've been thinking about us lately. I think it's best if I set you free and return you back to Drew. I love you but I think we were never met to be. I promise to be a good father to Ashlyn. I will visit you guys in Petalburg a few times a month._

_I will always hold the great times I had with you. The ones I can remember back in my pokemon trainer days and the new ones I gained when I was a coordinator and as a Professor. I promise this time I won't forget any of them. Promise!_

_I love you, that's why I'm letting you go. That's how much you really mean to me._

_Love, Ash Ketchum_

"No." I placed my back against the back of the door. I held the note in my hands tightly. So tight that I was starting to rip the note Ash had sent me. My back was sliding down the door and stopped when I reached onto the carpet below me. Tears began to form and run down my cheeks.

Was this really for the best? Just when I found out I love him still, he sets me free, like a little bird. To be free and live the way I want. Then it struck me.

* * *

I took my steps one by one. Each step was harder than the other. I had never felt this nervous in my whole life. Ashlyn was holding my left hand with the most gorgeous four year old smile.

"Don't be shy mommy!" Ashlyn cheered for me. "Daddy is waiting!" I smiled at her and brushed her fringe away from her eyes.

"Okay." I smiled right back at her.

* * *

I remember that day so well. I was in the hospital and I had just given birth to my first child. Ashlyn Maple. I had colourful flowers on both of the side tables near my bed. I had heaps of pink balloons with the words on them, "It's a baby girl!" also I had heaps of congratulation cards near the flowers. The nurse soon came in holding my daughter. She was fast asleep and was wrapped in a baby pink towel. She laid her near my head and I watched her sleep right beside me. Soon I noticed strange marks under her cheeks. They were in a shape of a 'z'. I soon noticed Drew walking into the room. He grabbed a chair and sat next to me. He softly rubbed the back of his fingers across my daughter's soft cheeks.

"She is really beautiful." He smiled. He looked up to me. "Just like her mother."

"Yeah." I stretched out my arm and held placed her hands on top of my fingertips. I softly rubbed them and noticed how soft they were. "She also has his hand. Just like her father."

* * *

I soon heard soft weak taps on my door. Only one person could knock like that. I wiped my tears away and stood up, took a few breaths and opened the door. In front of me was my daughter Ashlyn and Drew.

"Drew, don't you know it's bad for a bride and a groom to meet before they get married." I panicked.

"I don't believe is superstition." He flicked his lime green fringe away from his face. He looked at me right after. "So why were you crying?"

"I…I wasn't!" I lied. He hit me hard. After staying together for four years he could read most of my moves easily.

"It's Ash isn't it?" He spoke with slight disappointment. I didn't bother to reply. "This isn't going to work May." He knelt down to Ashlyn's height and looked right into her eyes. "Every time I look at Ashlyn, the image of her real father comes into my mind. Her looks, the ways she acts and the way she talks. She is like a female version of Ash." he hugged Ashlyn tight. Ashlyn had her usual innocent face and hugged her stepfather tight as well. "Please forgive me Ashlyn. Daddy has to go away for awhile now."

"Why Daddy?" she titled her head in confusion. Drew placed his hands onto her cheeks.

"Because there is only one real daddy out there for you." His eyes started to shine. It was that common sign that he was getting hurt the longer he stayed here. Near me and Ashlyn.

"But I want two daddies." Drew and I nearly laughed at Ashlyn cute comment. "Not one."

"But your real daddy is the man that your mommy loves a lot. More than me." I soon noticed a tear had just run down his cheek. "Remember that Daddy Drew loves you a lot. I'll visit from time to time. Don't forget me." He stood up and wiped any tears from his face that have escaped out of his eyes. He looked at me right after. "I'm setting you free May. That's how much you mean to me. I don't want to trap you in a relationship where you won't be happy." I ran up to him and hugged him. I hugged so tight that I felt like he could explode any minute.

"I'm so sorry Drew. I didn't mean to-" but Drew stopped me when he pushed me softly away from him. "Drew please…" His looked down onto the ground with his long hair, covering his expression on his face. I walked closer to him and did a soft kiss on his lips. I also felt like crying since I never imagined Drew would leave for good. I wrapped my arms around him again. "I love you."

"You only love me as a friend May." He wrapped his arms around me. "You always did." I couldn't reply back. He stopped our embrace and grabbed my left hand. On my fourth finger laid our engagement ring. It had a white ring to it with a beautiful sapphire stone in the middle, surrounding with small diamonds. His hand shook as he pulled off the ring from my hand. He placed my ring into that same hand. He lifted up his left hand in front of me. "Do it."

"I…can't." I knew he want to pull off his ring that I gave to him. "I can't do it." I couldn't hold my tears any longer and soon burst and escaped down my face.

"Do this for me May. Please." I looked up and saw that he couldn't stay with me any longer. It felt like he was doing this for us. To make us both happy. "Ashlyn needs her father."

I raised my hand and reached out to Drew's ring. I placed my fingers on top. This was finally it. Once I take this ring off the relationship between Drew and I will be over. I looked at the ring for awhile and soon into Drew's eyes. I took off the ring while looking at him. I looked back down and placed the ring in that same hand. I knew he was crying but he was hiding the tears back.

"Thank you." I whispered. I knew Drew heard those words. He turned around and made his way to the door but Ashlyn stopped him by hugged him tight.

"Daddy don't go, DADDY!" Ashlyn called out as loud as she could as she started to cry quickly. Drew took her off him and made his way, away from me and my daughter. "DADDY!" Ashlyn cried once more. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Remember daddy loves you Lyn, and May." He paused and soon continued. "Ash is heading to Unova. If you hurry you might be able to catch him" His faintly smiled and made his way. Far from our sights as I held Ashlyn close to me. Stopping her from chasing after Drew.

Ashlyn kept on crying. After all he was her father for the first four years of her life. He never left my side. Even when I pushed him away from me at times or when I felt anger I would yell my problems at him, yet he stayed with me.

He loved me so much that he set me free. Just like Ash did.

I turned Ashlyn around to face me. I wiped her tears away. She soon calmed down but she still felt sad that her stepfather had just left her.

"Stop crying now." I rubbed her cheeks with my hands. "It's time to find your real father."

* * *

The horn of the cruise ship blew once more and the man called out for the last passengers heading to Unova to aboard the ship. I held my daughter's hand tight and ran down the pier and to the boat. Hoping if it wasn't too late. I looked left, right, back and forward but he was nowhere to be found. The sun began to set behind the hills as the boat made its last call and started to move. I felt my heart shatter like glass as I watched the boat slowly fade away from my sights.

That was it. Drew left me and Ash was gone. I knew there was no point heading to Unova. There were so many towns to begin with. It would take days to get a next ticket to that region and it also would take days to get there. Ash could be anywhere by then. I fell to my knees with my hands covering my face as I began to cry. Ashlyn kneeled down and hugged me. To make me feel that everything was going to be alright, when it wasn't.

I soon heard the sound of a few bags dropping down the the cement. The sounds of sneakers making a sudden stop. I looked around and just guessed it was just another trainer, shocked to miss their boat to Unova. I soon felt Ashlyn making her away from me, running away.

"Daddy!" She called with excitement. "We found you!" she continued to speak with such joy in her voice.

I quickly wiped my tears away and turned around. It was him, it was really him. Ash.

The man that my heart beats for.

"Ash!" I called out and ran towards him. Embracing him when I got there. He had a confused reaction on his face, wondering why I wasn't at my own wedding. He hugged me back and a few seconds later I looked up at him.

"Whatareyoudoinghere?" He asked quickly with confusion in his voice. I chuckled and kissed his passionately on his lips. I knew that kiss answered half of his question.

"I'm here because I love you silly." I winked and laughed afterwards. Ash laughed right after. He soon felt his daughter tugging down on his brown cargo pants. He smiled and picked her up and into his arms. He soon placed his hand into his jacket's pockets and pulled out a ring. It had a gold ring base with millions of emeralds stones on it. "Isn't that Dawn's ring?" He shook his head, telling me I was wrong.

"It's yours now." I blushed. "LynLyn can you help me raise mommy's left hand?" He asked. Our daughter nodded with a cheeky smile and raised my hand for me. As she held my hand Ash slipped the ring onto my fourth finger, where a ring would always be placed. Ashlyn let go and I held my hand out and stretch out my fingers. Looking at my new ring. Soon I had the same idea. Ash switched arms since carrying his daughters was hard work.

Now my plan would work.

I grabbed his left hand and pulled out Drew's ring. It too had a gold ring with a line of emeralds in the middle, going all the way around. I placed the ring on his fourth fingers as well. Ash blushed on what I had just done.

"Ah, I'm not us to having a ring on!" He shook his arm in the air multiple times. Ashlyn and I laughed at him. "This is a girl's item." He complained. He acted just like the ten year old Ash that I love back then and still loved.

"Get use to it honey." I teased. I continued to laugh.

"And don't call me such embarrassing names." He tipped his hat over his face. To hide his blush over his face.

I grabbed his hat and quickly kiss him on the lips, hiding our kiss by using his hat. His blush glowed even brighter. I knew he wasn't use to kissing in public. I laughed even more as Ash put his red, white and black cap back onto his head. He soon laughed with me. When we all stopped he smiled at me, a warm and loving smile that I missed from him. I picked up his bag and was going to ask to come back home with me until I felt him holding my hand. I turned around and saw that Ashlyn was holding his other one. I smiled back at them. Finally my troubles were over.

"Let's go home." His tightened his grip on my hand slightly. I did that same back. I nodded.

I could finally smile at a brighter and happy future. With the people that love me so much.

And with the man that loves me.

And with the women that loves him back and loves him just as much.

_Let our hearts lead the way: _Part two, **End. **


	29. Epilogue

The offical last chapter. this was so much fun to write this story. its a little different from most epilogues were the couple in the stroy get married etc. im kinda sick of reading those type of endings.

Well its sad that my biggest and longest fic is coming to the end. =( but this isn't the end for me. i'll write a new advanceshipping fic in the near future. until then!

~midnight

**Shippings in this chapter: **Slight Ikarishipping

**Rating:** PG (K+)

* * *

**Epilogue **

**(Dawn's POV)**

Sometimes I wished I had lost all my memoires. So that I can forget everything we shared together, the pain I've gained while we were together and the love I still have for you. But we all know it too well that dream of mine will never happen. At least I wouldn't have to see you suffer like that. Who knew that regaining all your memories was one very painful journey and along the way you found new things about yourself that you never knew before. Life is just full of surprises. It's just-

"Ouch!" I cried as I fell onto the carpet floor. I rubbed my painful spot right after that crash, my head. I opened one of my eyes and saw I had bumped into another passenger when I was thinking to myself once again. It was a habit I had to learn to stop or at least control. I got onto my knees and help the person I bumped into by gathering their luggage together. When I did that successfully I turned around to the passage that just started to get on their feet. The person that I just helped out was somebody I didn't expect. "Paul?" I replied in total shock.

"I should have known it was you." He grumbled. I handed his bag to him. We both got onto our feet. "Can't you see where you're going. Is bumping into other people something you like to do?" He asked with a slight annoyed tone in his voice.

"Look, I'm sorry." I apologized as I clasped my hands together, the same position people would do with their hands when they pray. "I was just thinking to myself and-."

"Save it for somebody who cares. I got to find my seat." And just like that he turned around from me, looking for his seat on the train. I crossed my arms, frustrated at him. I had never met with such an annoying man in my life.

A year had just passed since I broke up with Ash. Even though I still love him with my whole heart and soul we still can be able to be friends, just like we use to be back in Sinnoh nine years ago. He taught me a lot in my journeys so he was still a very important person to me. Ash finds me his best friend, well in fact he says that all his friends are his best friend and he has no favourite.

Typical Ash.

Ash and May had invited me back to Hoenn. Its was their daughter's fifth birthday and Ashlyn asked herself if I could come. Even I spent a short time with that cute adorable child, she finds me as her second mother. The thought of begin loved like that made my heart jump a little. Is this what mother's feel when their child calls them their mother for the first time in their life? Hm, maybe something similar perhaps?

"Let's see." I pulled out my ticket from my pocket and looked for the words that would tell me where my seat was. "Seat 27." I looked around me. I was still at the front half of the train. I continued to walk down until I saw the number twenty-seven above a empty chair. Normally I ask for a seat by myself without anyone beside me so I could just throw my bags at the other seat beside me.

But that wasn't the case.

"Please tell me you got the wrong seat?" Paul asked with his arms crossed. I shook my head saying he was wrong. "Just my luck." He took his bag off my seat and laid them in front of his feet and soon after gazed his attention the scene outside. The train began to move out of the station and out of the city. After a while of silence he spoke to me. Something I didn't expect from him. "Your invited to his kid's birthday right?" He asked.

"Yeah." I softly replied. I wasn't use to talking to somebody I haven't seen for awhile. A year ago we talked a lot but it didn't have that normal flow of conversation where you would as a question and reply straight away. Paul and I would wait for a few seconds before replying. "Are you?"

"Yeah. I don't know why though, I never liked hanging with him." He continued to watch the trees zoom past. Silence grew among us again. I heard a few sounds of the train running over the tracks before he spoke again. "So are you still with him?"

"And why do you care?" I asked.

"I didn't know that asking questions became a crime now." He replied once more, still refusing to look at me. I thought that getting mad at him by asking a simple question was stupid. I took a breath in and soon relaxed before answering his question.

"We broke up, its better that way." A sting of sadness and disappointment came back to me. "I loved him but I knew that he still loved May."

"And you're the little fool whose hoping that one day you will be back in his arms. Am I right?" I felt like I was hit with a pile of bricks. Why did that statement hurt me so much? What was Paul saying right? Was I still hoping that Ash and I will end up together once more? I shook my head quickly to get that horrible idea out of my head. The sound of a train entering a tunnel filled up the cabin and painted the windows black as Paul continued on. "Thought so." The train escaped the tunnel and the old classic country landscape filled up the windows. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" I replied in a confused manner.

"Hoping for the best, even though you know there is a small chance that what you want won't happen?" he glanced over his shoulder.

"I guess that's what I learn from Ash." I faintly smiled. "To never give up."

"But I'm sure he didn't teach you to be a fool. To ignore what's happening around you and let them pass you by." He turned his face towards me. "You can't be that dumb can you?" my face flushed with anger.

"I'm not dumb!" I yelled and waved my arms in the air numerous times. "You take that back you as-" but Paul stopped me by putting his hand over my mouth.

"You're pretty dumb to complain and yell like that. You yelling like that is, like admitting that you are dumb. Do you honestly think I actually mean that?" I paused as Paul took his hand away from my mouth. I blinked at him blankly and he just sighed. "Never mind." He sighed. "I take back what I said about you not begin dumb." Then I suddenly felt a certain eagerness to ask Paul something that I felt like I should have asked a long time ago.

"Paul." I began. "Are you concerned about me?" I felt like he jumped up a little right after I asked him that question. "You never talked to me like this before." He didn't bother to reply and went back the landscape, watching more countless trees and rocks zoom past the train's window. I pulled out the invitation from Ash and May. There was a picture of Ashlyn holding a chocolate muffin in her hands with her Torchic by her side. I looked back at Paul.

He was an interesting man. I always thought of him like that ever since we first met. He always looks so stressed and angry at nearly everyone. He hardly talked with anyone without making them feel upset towards him. But when he did talk it always seemed to be the truth and so honest, even though his says it in a harsh way. He isn't a liar. I guess he talks to people like that to help them improve, maybe because that person reminds him of himself a lot? I continued to look at him. He didn't seem to notice at me starting at him so blankly.

Every time he would talk to somebody else. He would be angry and frustrated but when it came to me, it was a completely different story. He would still have that arrogant tone in his voice but he wouldn't have the yelling tone towards me. Why dose he treat me so differently?

"So are you going to Ashlyn's fifth birthday party?" I asked. Bring a new topic into our conversation.

"It would be rude if I didn't." And just like before, he replied to me without looking back at me. It felt like he was counting on how many trees the train had already passed. Just to pass the time quicker. "But I'm going to take a long route over there. This train is going to pass a town where I've heard has a lot of rare and strong Pokémon. Ever heard of Meteor Falls?" I shook my head in response that I have never heard of that place. "Hmp, typical." He shrugged.

Then I wondered. I needed to catch Pokémon of my own and I somehow felt I needed to travel in a new region once more. I had travelled through the Hoenn region once, but it was mainly rushed. Not like when I travelled with Ash we went through nearly every house in nearly every town we would come across, every forest Sinnoh had to offer and met nearly anybody we would help. It was such a fulfilling journey. And I wanted to do the same but this time, with a new companion.

"Can I come with you?" I asked. Why I did was something like that was something needed to clear myself on.

"What for?" He asked in his usual arrogant tone of voice. He turned around to face me in such shock.

"I want to travel through Hoenn again but this time with you." I winked. "I think you're not that bad of a person that you made me believe back in Sinnoh. So whaddya think?" He didn't respond. "come-on, give me a chance to prove to you I'm not as useless as I made you to believe back when we were ten." And once more, he didn't reply. I sighed. "Please?"

"Just don't get in my way." He crossed his arms and looked away from me.

"This is going to be so exciting." I cheered to myself.

After that I finally understood why I asked myself to join Paul. I wanted to forget about my feelings to Ash, my anger I had against May. I wanted to rub away the painful guilt I had inside of me and the depressing memories I still had inside of me.

"But we are still going to Ashlyn's birthday right?" He nodded as he pulled out a novel from his bag. I guess looking out at the scenery outside was getting a little repetitive. I soon heard my poke gear ringing.

I looked at the bright flashing screen. On it was a picture of Amelia, Ash's younger half sister. I had just recently received this poke gear from Lyra who sent it to me by mail. She didn't have time to visit me back in Twinleaf since she was busy getting ready for the Sinnoh league. The last time I heard from her is that she is dating a guy by the name of Jimmy. I always knew she had an interest in love but I never knew it took her awhile to actually start dating. I answered the call and placed my pink poke gear near my ear.

"Hey Mimi." I had got use to calling her by that name. "What is it?"

"Nothing much." She replied in her usual bubbly voice. "Just wanted to know if you are coming to my adorable niece's fifth birthday?"

"Of course I'm coming. I treated Ashlyn like she's my own daughter." I smiled. Ashlyn always knew how to bring a smile on anyone's faces. You just had to smile at that young five year old.

"That's great. I'll tell Ash that right now." I felt like she was about to hang up the phone but I quickly stopped her.

"Wait!" I called out. "How is everyone over there?"

"Well Alex has just been invited to become a battle frontier brain, Max is now the gym leader at Petelburg and Misty is helping him out. May's dad, Norman is starting to learn to walk again by therapy. Ash is training is team really hard since Cynthia has just invited him to be part of the elite four in Sinnoh and May is expecting another child."

"Wow." I gasped at the many new events that had happened in just one year. "And what about you?"

"Nothing much really. Just staying here, deciding what I should do next." Amelia sighed. "Well, I've been thinking lately to hold a trainer school back home. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"That would be a great idea. You can teach children around Ashlyn's age to learn about Pokémon."

"Okay then. I'll ask my brothers as well. Anyway see you here in a few days okay?" She asked. I could hear the excitement and cheerfulness in her voice.

"No need to worry. Paul and I will be there." I replied back and disconnected the call. I looked back at my new travelling companion, Paul. He was still reading the book he had got out earlier. "So what are you reading?" I asked.

"One hundred and one ways to deal with annoying children." He glanced at me. "This book is really useful. I might use some of their tips they have in here." I felt my blood boil. I knew he was talking about me.

"Arghh!" I grabbed by beanie from my head and pulled it down in anger. After that I quickly put it over his head.

"No book can tame a girl like me!" I replied in anger. "Just learn to deal with it Mr Paul Hayden!"

"Hmp, I think I can manage that at least." He took off my beanie and threw it at my face. "But can you do deal with me?" I placed the beanie back on top of my head.

"I think I can manage." I sighed.

**End **


End file.
